derekl.. I don't think so - once they get close to holding areas they're under pretty tight radar control. In any event, this aircraft was very high and if it needed to lose time a reduction in speed would have been the technique. In extreme cases it would simply enter a holding pattern.
If we're not going to get a definite answer here's another one for the pot - couple of years ago I saw a satellite image of the North Sea which clearly showed a long, spiral vapour trail - just as if a fast jet had flown some distance doing barrel rolls. Never had that fully explained but, of course, "Aurora" featured in suggestions!