ATC Slot Nazis at PMI
Let me set the scene:
You are parked on stand at PMI. You have just finished a successful and timely turnaround - quite a feat in itself - and you are ready to head home. You call clearance delivery and request clearance for start. No problem, you think. My slot is at 1730 and the time is now 1723. We could make the runway by the slot time and most certainly could make it in the discretionary period of 10 minutes late on slot. ATC have different ideas. Their response "Aircraft XXX Time 1723 Slot 1730 YOU NO GO, Call your company for new slot". Surprised, you respond that you can make the runway in 7 minutes but they're not having any of it and force you to remain where you are. You call the company. A few minutes later the company rings you back. New slot: 1930. No thanks to the Nazi Hitler youth that run ATC in PMI.
This has happened to me a few times lately, and judging from the conversations with Clearance Delivery I have heard from other airlines (some very heated indeed) this seems to be becoming more and more commonplace. What is the deal with ATC at PMI and why do the steadfastly refuse to use the discretionary 10 minute period which is available to us everywhere else in Europe? It would seem to me that it is better to allow aircraft to go a bit late (but within the 10 minute period) than to have them sitting around on the ground for hours taking up valuable parking space.
I was just wondering if this has happened to anyone else here and how to they feel about it?
Lazlo