Thanks heaps for the replies - interesting reading. Looks like easiest for crew/FMS is the hold departure time given to meet a time at the next point.
I really didn't want this to get into a sequencing slanging match. 250kts at TopD - sorry, sometime sh!t happens. We know it's not the ideal thing to do, but one cannot predict go-arounds, WX diversion, MED1 traffic etc etc. We try our hardest - we want you out of our airspace ASAP! And standard speeds for descent for types would be great, but we understand that's out of your hands, just like a lot of circumstances are out of our hands.
So here's one for you lot - no more 'why are we being delayed?' What a stupid bloody question!
You are being delayed because you are the only plane in the sky and we don't like the tone of your voice, of course!
Cheers,
NFR.