Why do they not REQUEST descent? Is this some form of misguided hint-dropping to controllers that they should know everybody's optimum top of descent point and to waken up?
There seems to be an aversion to the use of the word "Request", also as in "Is there any chance of FL XXX, we're in moderate turbulence at blah blah blah!"
Why NOT just say "REQUEST FLXXX" ? or "REQUEST Descent?"