Hello Folks!
On the subject of deteriorating RT discipline I, along with several colleagues, have a couple of common 'issues'.
Within the TMA I am sure that all you professional, respectful pilots note that on the SID chart it asks you to report, on first contact with 'London Control', Callsign, SID being flown, passing alt, cleared level, etc etc. On a busy sector there is nothing more frustrating than having to ask for each item individually. When asked to confirm the cleared level the number of times the requested cruise level is muttered, or the final SID level, is amazing! Often this is a language issue but nevertheless it erodes what little RT and thinking time we have left.
I'm sure that there's an element of trying to save RT time but QSY responses with no callsign are a false saving and potentially very dangerous too.
I'm not attempting to 'finger point', and a majority of major European airlines are pretty darn good, I just hope to raise your awareness. The situation does appear to be deteriorating and we are starting to log these much more carefully than in the past in an effort to identify any common factor (eg airline). To put it in perspective I was working the Dover departures/BIGGIN/TIMBA inbounds last night between 10 and 11 local and there were no fewer than 15 incorrect initial reports and 12 goodbyes with incorrect frequencies/no callsigns - even my girlfriend isn't that bad!! (And if the BA pilot who fluffed his QSY several times a couple of days ago on a MID is out there, I've checked and you don't look anything like her...!) That equates to at least 5 minutes RT 'wasted' in a one hour period. Like I said, an observation and in no way an attack, just for awareness!