I'm going to do my best to answer as much as possible from an AC perspective:
1. Should airport scheduling allow for ATCO's U/T?
I agree with you, once an ATCO is valid they should be able to handle the busiest of situations and then respond appropriately to an emergency too. Someone cannot validate and then have a "bedding in" period, what happens if they are superb to 90% and cannot do 100%? However person-management should be carefully monitored by the supervisor to ensure they have the correct personnel in situ for certain periods - we've done it for LAMP too. Two fresh faces during their first busy spell should be avoided where possible, and closely monitored where not.
2. Answered above.
4. Greater co-ordination on gapping: This combined with other factors DID result in at least a few/several enroute S17 overloads last summer.
The only bit of this I can answer and yes it did, and the airspace has now changed so this summer will be "new" for both AC and TC. There have already been a couple of situations where this issue is being addressed so hopefully by the "peak months" we'll be better placed to deal with them better.
5. Not my remit.
6. AMAN struggles to cope with the above, and EATS at KK sometimes appear to struggle at times to be realistic to the AMAN initial prediction. More manual oversight/control of AMAN for KK??
Manning, I'll let you decide where that answer lies.
7. Several times last Summer was slowed to minimum speed at FIR entry by en-route due 15-20 minute delay expected at KK. On transfer to TC told no delay (yes, appreciate officially that means not greater than 20'). On query told no idea where 'next door' got that from and indeed on arrival not more than once round the hold, on several occasions 'straight off' without even a 'spin'.....
Now en-route have done what is right and good management under the information available to them (AMAN?), but that information has proved to be totally inaccurate....
Extend XMAN to include KK? But for this AMAN timings need to be accurate and reliable!
As an extra, is there now a need this Summer to formally put a formal rate on KK arr for the protection of the system and ATCO's?
This is part of the problem, again with better foresight of what is coming out so knowing what the arrival spacing is to be will be of help, but as this is forever changing and not that easy to forward plan, the solution is already flawed. XMAN for Gatwick is a long way off at the moment, AMAN can change in a moment where AC either have less than 5 and it's 15+ or visa versa. Coupled with S17 and S22 not getting KK arrivals spaced and often above profile, their job to get you down and slow you down is compromised. Who is going to supply the money to get the system improved?
8. Speed control - poor conformance by some pilots/operators led to go-arounds. This area has to improve! I observe decisions being made sometimes by crew to 'protect' themselves from go-around by 'reducing' early so to ensure the runway is clear when they get there. The impact on the stream selfishly doesn't concern them at the time I would suggest that mode 'S' is monitored in a more controlled fashion, and the offender is sent around regardless rather than an impact on either the next departure or arrival? Harsh perhaps, but perhaps the only way such offenders will learn?
Not just on final approach, however AC this year are getting quite an informative brief regarding speed control, it includes the accuracy of conformance for several aircraft types and will possibly lead to a few "ticking off"s this summer due to non-conformance. I'm not sure if TC get the same brief however the information is now within NATS so I imagine it'll roll out to them at some point if not this year.
9. Not my remit.
10. Use of 'Super' by EK and ATC alike would help crew situational awareness and warning of impending RNAV likelihood.
AC will never use "Super", possibly a little early to start the awareness.
I hope that gives you a little more of an AC perspective. You seem to be very well informed so probably know much of what I've written already. It is going to be a testing summer so please bear with us, and do your best for us and we'll try our best for you. I am guessing you do, it is very frustrating when you get the ones that certainly don't.
