Pilot says: Is this normal?
At LHR, at 1434 I called up with a slot at 1449 to start. But I was told that I could not make the slot, because of the queue of aircraft for 27R and runway alternation at 1500. So I had to have a new slot requested. Consequently, we were delayed by another 20+ minutes.
But surely the idea of slots is that it is what all the ATC agencies agree that they can make? I never asked for the 1449 slot, but I could make it (the standard taxy time is 16 minutes). But when I was ready to go, ATC said they couldn't make it.
Come on, guys - it wasn't me who wanted the slot!