Best bit of 'sportsmanship' I ever heard was on the ML-SY track a few months ago. QF B767 asks for higher and I say 'Negative due same direction traffic above.' Clearly they spot the jet just ahead and then pipe up 'Can we have a high speed cruise and descent' to which approval was given and they start to overtake the
VB jet above.
I hand the jets off to the next sector and the
VB jet asks 'Is the QF jet overtaking us below the one that asked for max speed?' 'Affim' I said. And the reply from the
VB jet was 'Nice one boys, we're off to Williamtown'
No response from the B767 crew funnily enough......
I had a good chuckle anyway. May have been asking for max speed to make schedule, but it sounded like a 'race to base' to me.
Cheers,
NFR.