First of all it's a bit late requesting an intersection change approaching the hold. ATC have put out notices stating that you should take the hold you are given to allow proper flow of traffic. If you have an issue with the instersection (J9) the planning stage is the time to state that you require full length or at the very least organise it with Clearance Delivery. I can't help thinking that this is a poor display of airmanship
HKG ATC is getting busier and flow control into China is becoming difficult. ATC are training new controllers adding to the problems. So a little more understanding is required.
There is absolutley no problem safety or otherwise operating from J9. If you think there is a problem submit an ASR or a confidetial report. The runway behind you thing is a thing of the past. The runway is over 12,000 feet. It's strange to think that we're quibling over 200 feet and then go and operate into a 10,000 foot strip elsewhere with less facilities or even somewhere like DXB 12R WIP. Amazing!!!!
For you guys in ATC you need to understand that, slowly but surely, experience levels in the airlines are reducing and training systems are being cut to the bone. Aviation is becoming more prescriptive and there is a genuine ignorance when it comes to some aspects of aircraft operations especially aircraft performance. I believe that aircrew are being placed under an enormous amount of commercial pressure. I have heard some of these exchanges between ATC and aircraft captains and have felt extremely embarassed to be part of the aircrew fraternity.
Given the mixture of the two above points it can make for a tense time.
One important thing to note here is (as someone mentioned CRM) CRM is not a cockpit centric concept (as much as we would like to think it is) and that we are not the centre of aviation. We as aircrew have to remember that we are part of a larger system and that we must display CRM principles with all the relevent parts of that system, noting that if any one part of the system fails it is the public who will suffer.
So I would like to make an appeal to all of you before getting on the radio to make a request; ask yourself what am I really going to achieve and if I don't get my request am I going to stand on ceramony and argue my case taking up ATC's time which could be better utilised for more important things
Cheers
Don't Think, Don't Think