The issue that presents itself is that the flight plan will always be planned at ECON no matter what the level may be.
With the greatest of respect, that is not entirely correct. I have operated high speed plans for curfew restraints or schedule requests by ops. Sometimes an actual plan is delivered to the a/c and other times it is a verbal request. The high speed plans are typicaly around 330 kt climb, M0.80 crz and M0.80/330kt descent.
The verbal requests from ops are probably the ones that cause some confusion by ATC as the original plan was at ECON (as is usually the case).
Dookie, perhaps if the drivers were informed of this info it may enhance the level of understanding. We are given nothing and are told nothing. The whole relationship between ATC/flight planning (submission and execution) and our operation should be in writing for all to learn. The information vacuum in both training and line operations is a disgrace. We read dozens of pages of BS daily and along with the forrest of amendments, it is becoming farcical. I would like some good gen we can actually use as opposed to memorising cabin crew evacuation commands.