I understand your thinking,
eyeinthesky, and I agree with you.
However, I do have a little problem with
mcdhu's experience of being asked to level off at 7000', when the TA is 6000'. I would also have queried it, if it had happened to me.
If the QNH had been less than 1013, then I think
mcdhu should have been asked to stop descent at FL75, or even FL80, rather than at an altitude which was above the TA. Although I understand the logic perfectly about the need to provide separation above traffic at 6000', it's just that I think it is a rather "non-standard" way of achieving it.
JD
