411A, Your profile gives little away about any experience you might have in flying around Europe and UK in particular. You seem to be unaware of several factors related to this subject.
Firstly, we don't have room in the airspace here for what you call 'sin bins'. It is seriously congested over here from 0600 to 2200L every day and an ac abusing the airspace by boring holes in the sky is compounding ATC's problem.
Secondly, I hesitate to say 'without exception', but I think it holds good, the UK airlines operate in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect between ATC and pilots; we never forget that, when the chips are down, the man or woman in ATC is your best friend and that the service they routinely give us is excellent. My personal view is that UK ATC is probably the best in the world - but I haven't been everywhere! Thus, when we have a problem that requires more than the usual cooperation from ATC, we are quick to declare it in the knowledge that all possible and reasonable help will be forthcoming. Isn't it called CRM?
And thirdly, telephone calls to airline ops to enquire about the conduct of a particular crew can, for all the wrong reasons, bring about an atmosphere of mistrust and I am sure that is the last thing that Heathrow Director would wish to do. His was a reasonable post and did not deserve your dismissive and rather unpleasant attitude.
I have attempted to be constructive in this post and hope that perhaps we can continue in this mood - if at all.
Bring back the Preston FIR!
Cheers all,
mcdhu