Air carrier deviating around WX was issued a turn away from other traffic to avoid a confliction.

Attributes
ACN	116888
Time
Date	198907
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fsd
State Reference	SD
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp tower : luk
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	116888
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We had center's permission to deviate around severe thunderstorms. It seemed like everyone was deviating. We were heading east when center told us to turn to 360 degree, and told another air carrier to turn as well. Problem is that when everyone is deviating, the poor guy in the center has his hands full. What the solution is I'm not sure, since at certain times when there is an abundance of severe WX the ground control system is overwhelmed. We made an expedited turn for the controller since his voice seemed to call for it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DEVIATING AROUND WX WAS ISSUED A TURN AWAY FROM OTHER TRAFFIC TO AVOID A CONFLICTION.

Narrative: WE HAD CENTER'S PERMISSION TO DEVIATE AROUND SEVERE TSTMS. IT SEEMED LIKE EVERYONE WAS DEVIATING. WE WERE HDG E WHEN CENTER TOLD US TO TURN TO 360 DEG, AND TOLD ANOTHER AIR CARRIER TO TURN AS WELL. PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN EVERYONE IS DEVIATING, THE POOR GUY IN THE CENTER HAS HIS HANDS FULL. WHAT THE SOLUTION IS I'M NOT SURE, SINCE AT CERTAIN TIMES WHEN THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF SEVERE WX THE GND CTL SYSTEM IS OVERWHELMED. WE MADE AN EXPEDITED TURN FOR THE CTLR SINCE HIS VOICE SEEMED TO CALL FOR IT.

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.