Narrative:

Lax approach controllers, saturated to the point of distraction. Air carrier widebody transport cleared civet profile descent, then restr 'maintain 16,000', then reclred civet profile descent. Requested speed reduction at 25 DME lax from 250 KTS to 220 KTS, 'approved' by approach. Inside fueler maintaining 8000' without approach clearance, flying well above glide slope, I configured for landing to avoid overflying airport. Reduced speed to 160 KTS to prepare for descent, unable to get word in edgewise to request approach clearance. Finally, controller asked our speed. Reported 160 KTS, controller stated 'last speed assigned 220 KTS'. Not so. Speed reduction was approved! Then, he vectored left base traffic to precede our flight. Ok with me, however, if approach had been able to keep pace with what goes on (no fault of his own) all this could be avoided, and a smooth approach after a smooth flight could be provided our passenger and crew. Solution: increase controller capacity and radio frequency by 100% or reduce traffic into lax by 50%. Also, constant nonsense ELT's received on 121.5 lax area, suspect disgruntled union member activity. FCC should take action reference unprofessional behavior preceding flight encountered same including no approach clearance inside fueler.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB ENCOUNTERS LESS THAN SATISFACTORY ATC HANDLING ON APCH INTO LAX BY APCH CTL. SPEED DEVIATION CREATED BY APCH PROFILE REQUIRED.

Narrative: LAX APCH CTLRS, SATURATED TO THE POINT OF DISTR. ACR WDB CLRED CIVET PROFILE DSCNT, THEN RESTR 'MAINTAIN 16,000', THEN RECLRED CIVET PROFILE DSCNT. REQUESTED SPEED REDUCTION AT 25 DME LAX FROM 250 KTS TO 220 KTS, 'APPROVED' BY APCH. INSIDE FUELER MAINTAINING 8000' WITHOUT APCH CLRNC, FLYING WELL ABOVE GLIDE SLOPE, I CONFIGURED FOR LNDG TO AVOID OVERFLYING ARPT. REDUCED SPEED TO 160 KTS TO PREPARE FOR DSCNT, UNABLE TO GET WORD IN EDGEWISE TO REQUEST APCH CLRNC. FINALLY, CTLR ASKED OUR SPEED. REPORTED 160 KTS, CTLR STATED 'LAST SPEED ASSIGNED 220 KTS'. NOT SO. SPEED REDUCTION WAS APPROVED! THEN, HE VECTORED LEFT BASE TFC TO PRECEDE OUR FLT. OK WITH ME, HOWEVER, IF APCH HAD BEEN ABLE TO KEEP PACE WITH WHAT GOES ON (NO FAULT OF HIS OWN) ALL THIS COULD BE AVOIDED, AND A SMOOTH APCH AFTER A SMOOTH FLT COULD BE PROVIDED OUR PAX AND CREW. SOLUTION: INCREASE CTLR CAPACITY AND RADIO FREQ BY 100% OR REDUCE TFC INTO LAX BY 50%. ALSO, CONSTANT NONSENSE ELT'S RECEIVED ON 121.5 LAX AREA, SUSPECT DISGRUNTLED UNION MEMBER ACTIVITY. FCC SHOULD TAKE ACTION REFERENCE UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR PRECEDING FLT ENCOUNTERED SAME INCLUDING NO APCH CLRNC INSIDE FUELER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.