ZMP controller reports of a procedure where the high altitude controller clears the aircraft to desc...

Narrative:

Aircraft X was issued to 'descend via the kkilr one arrival...' by ZMP (high altitude) sector 16. This clearance authorizes the aircraft to descend into low altitude (sector 06) airspace. The aircraft was handed off to sector 06 but a frequency change was not issued until requested by the sector 06 controller while the aircraft was descending through FL220.this procedure is inherently dangerous and goes against everything we have been accustomed to and trained for. Descending into another sectors' airspace by procedure? Why don't we just climb all departures to their requested altitude? It's the same thing. The STAR arrivals should be given a pd descent to FL240 and handed off to the low sector. Let the low altitude sector issue the 'descend via' clearance. The potential for issues like this; not talking to an aircraft in your sector; are too great. This procedure has reduced safety by eliminating an important step in the handoff process.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZMP Controller reports of a procedure where the high altitude controller clears the aircraft to descend into another controller's airspace. The aircraft is handed off to the underlying sector but transfer of communications is not completed until the underlying sector asks for the aircraft.

Narrative: Aircraft X was issued to 'descend via the KKILR ONE ARRIVAL...' by ZMP (high altitude) Sector 16. This clearance authorizes the aircraft to descend into low altitude (Sector 06) airspace. The aircraft was handed off to Sector 06 but a frequency change was not issued until requested by the Sector 06 controller while the aircraft was descending through FL220.This procedure is inherently dangerous and goes against everything we have been accustomed to and trained for. Descending into another sectors' airspace by procedure? Why don't we just climb all departures to their requested altitude? It's the same thing. The STAR arrivals should be given a PD descent to FL240 and handed off to the low sector. Let the low altitude sector issue the 'descend via' clearance. The potential for issues like this; not talking to an aircraft in your sector; are too great. This procedure has reduced safety by eliminating an important step in the handoff process.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Attributes
ACN	1252296
Time
Date	201504
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZMP.ARTCC
State Reference	MN
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Large Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	STAR KKILR One Arrival
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Enroute
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Experience	Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 14.4
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Procedural Clearance

ZMP controller reports of a procedure where the high altitude controller clears the aircraft to descend into another controller's airspace. The aircraft is handed off to the underlying sector but transfer of communications is not completed until the underlying sector asks for the aircraft.