Avman,
Please re-read my comments, I do not have a problem with approaching level reports, except when the RT is exceptionally busy and when you are getting them on every thousand feet you drop or climb the aircraft.
The situation I am talking about is this sort of thing:
"c/s FL200 request lower"
"Descend FL190"
"c/s, approaching FL190 looking for lower"
"Descend FL180"
"c/s approaching FL180 request further"
"Descend FL170"
"c/s FL170 request further descent"
etc, etc. Where the pilot is oblivious to the controllers incredibly high workload at the time.......it's not hard to recognise a saturated frequency.
Approaching level reports when quiet or not saturated RT are perfectly fine, and often useful for remembering that aircraft I forgot <img src="smile.gif" border="0">