The comments complaining about ATS providers giving 'free' services to people who are not paying (directly or otherwise) tends to reinforce the negative feelings that many GA pilots have towards 'owners' of controlled airspace who are reluctant to provide appropriate services or let them have access.
The fact is that unlike many resources (and Ofcom are trying to change that for radio spectrum used by aviation for communications and radar) there is no charge for airspace. Part of the covenant when an ATS provider is given, for no-charge, control of a volume of airspace should be that they provide access to it on a fair and equitable basis to all airspace users and not restrict services to aviators who they regard as an inconvenience.
The NATS proposal to implement a large TMZ in Class G airspace around Stansted will mean that not only is the ATS provider ‘difficult’ when aviators need e.g. a crossing they will also be preventing access to that Class G airspace by about 20% of the current users (NATS estimate in consultation papers).
Standing by for incoming fire…