1. Pay a visit to scottish It all becomes obvious when they plug you into a sector for what seems like 10mins but turns into 2 hours.
2. That should have stopped but the more mature controllers still give it. It links back to the days when some commercial ops still used QFE for approaches. If thats the only thing that winds you up, well life is to short.
3. Because they can't change it until they do a runway inspection. Knock a couple out of the sequence for a runway inspection to prove that the runway is safer than what is being reported. Fark that keep the aircraft moving please.
4. I sort of understand the reason. It can cause workload problems further south. Say you going GLA down to Filton. If you go via airways everything is setup with standing agreements no phone calls. If you go outside you double the number of agency's you have to talk to and it seems there is a hellva lot more work involved giving you what you want. I only did it once felt quite guilty about the extra work load it caused the controllers for all of 5 mins difference.
If you are going to Blackpool or Liverpool I have never had a problem with them cutting you loose outside from NGL its only when your going to cause grief all down the country they keep you inside.
5. Completely normal ops from Scottish when they can they give you direct to where ever you want. SUM, INV,ABZ, WIK. To anywhere on the West coast of Norway I have never done my flight planned route always been given direct sometimes for 400+ miles. And once with stonking head winds we got direct to Norwich from the NOR FIR border for which I am eternally grateful for as if they hadn't jigged it up for us it would have turned the day into one almighty cluster
.