Narrative:

Aircraft X was enroute to ZZZ. I initiated a handoff in a timely manner. As the aircraft's one minute vector line neared the adjacent ARTCC boundary; I call the [sector] to take the handoff. I called a second time and was forced to hang up the line and answer another aircraft. I put a heading of '270' in the fourth line of the data block; sent the [sector] a data block (pvd); and called for a point out. When I received no reply; I issued the turn to aircraft X. A moment later; I called again for a point out and received the reply 'point out approved.' in my opinion; there were no extenuating circumstances that would preclude the next sector from accepting this handoff. I could not observe any limited data block that would be in possible confliction with aircraft X. Traffic volume in either facility was not high. I instructed aircraft X to make a 'left 360' and proceed direct ZZZ VOR as previously cleared. By this time; my front line manager was calling the adjacent facility to determine the reason for this situation. The [sector] controller called me and asked if I called for a handoff (which is not required by the 7110.65). I replied 'twice' and the [sector] controller said 'sorry; radar.'many controllers are under the false notion that there is a requirement to call for a handoff. These numerous calls for handoffs are used in place of poor scan and situational awareness. There is no requirement to call for a handoff. There is; however; a requirement to keep aircraft out of sectors without a handoff or pointout. Controllers are getting lazy in their scan to evaluate traffic and accept handoffs in a timely manner. Some controllers are setting their sector maps up with no space outside of each sector to see traffic coming. These controllers should re-evaluate each sector map setting and the time that handoffs are accepted.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC sector was handing off a data block to an adjacent sector. The receiving sector was not taking the handoff and would not answer the landline when called with verbal coordination. The Controller working the aircraft had to give the aircraft a 360 degree turn to not enter the next sector.

Narrative: Aircraft X was enroute to ZZZ. I initiated a handoff in a timely manner. As the aircraft's one minute vector line neared the adjacent ARTCC boundary; I call the [sector] to take the handoff. I called a second time and was forced to hang up the line and answer another aircraft. I put a heading of '270' in the fourth line of the data block; sent the [sector] a data block (PVD); and called for a point out. When I received no reply; I issued the turn to Aircraft X. A moment later; I called again for a point out and received the reply 'point out approved.' In my opinion; there were no extenuating circumstances that would preclude the next sector from accepting this handoff. I could not observe any limited data block that would be in possible confliction with Aircraft X. Traffic volume in either facility was not high. I instructed Aircraft X to make a 'left 360' and proceed direct ZZZ VOR as previously cleared. By this time; my Front Line Manager was calling the adjacent facility to determine the reason for this situation. The [sector] controller called me and asked if I called for a handoff (which is not required by the 7110.65). I replied 'twice' and the [sector] controller said 'sorry; radar.'Many controllers are under the false notion that there is a requirement to call for a handoff. These numerous calls for handoffs are used in place of poor scan and situational awareness. There is no requirement to call for a handoff. There is; however; a requirement to keep aircraft out of sectors without a handoff or pointout. Controllers are getting lazy in their scan to evaluate traffic and accept handoffs in a timely manner. Some controllers are setting their sector maps up with no space outside of each sector to see traffic coming. These controllers should re-evaluate each sector map setting and the time that handoffs are accepted.

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.