Air carrier cleared direct on handoff. Next controller unaware of direct clearance asks where going?

Attributes
ACN	217886
Time
Date	199208
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mgw
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 24000 msl bound upper : 24000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc artcc : zob tower : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	217886
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

On scheduled flight orf-pit, ZDC cleared us direct to mgw VOR -- flight plan route and handed us off to ZOB. From our position, a 5-8 degree right bank was initiated for direct mgw. ZOB, about 5 mins later, wanted to know what we were doing and where we were going and that we were well off of the jet route and he was about to be forced to slow other pit arriving aircraft down. We advised center we had been given direct mgw and increased our bank to 30 degrees. He said ZDC had not advised him of our proceeding direct. My feelings are ZDC dropped the ball by not telling ZOB what our new clearance was, however, ZOB had already placed error and blame on us before finding out what was going on. Possibly our bank angle was a little shallow, but mostly done for passenger comfort. Suggest controllers communication all the information prior to handoff and remain professional all the time. They would not be receptive to us flinging accusations at them either.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CLRED DIRECT ON HDOF. NEXT CTLR UNAWARE OF DIRECT CLRNC ASKS WHERE GOING?

Narrative: ON SCHEDULED FLT ORF-PIT, ZDC CLRED US DIRECT TO MGW VOR -- FLT PLAN RTE AND HANDED US OFF TO ZOB. FROM OUR POS, A 5-8 DEG R BANK WAS INITIATED FOR DIRECT MGW. ZOB, ABOUT 5 MINS LATER, WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING AND WHERE WE WERE GOING AND THAT WE WERE WELL OFF OF THE JET RTE AND HE WAS ABOUT TO BE FORCED TO SLOW OTHER PIT ARRIVING ACFT DOWN. WE ADVISED CTR WE HAD BEEN GIVEN DIRECT MGW AND INCREASED OUR BANK TO 30 DEGS. HE SAID ZDC HAD NOT ADVISED HIM OF OUR PROCEEDING DIRECT. MY FEELINGS ARE ZDC DROPPED THE BALL BY NOT TELLING ZOB WHAT OUR NEW CLRNC WAS, HOWEVER, ZOB HAD ALREADY PLACED ERROR AND BLAME ON US BEFORE FINDING OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON. POSSIBLY OUR BANK ANGLE WAS A LITTLE SHALLOW, BUT MOSTLY DONE FOR PAX COMFORT. SUGGEST CTLRS COM ALL THE INFO PRIOR TO HDOF AND REMAIN PROFESSIONAL ALL THE TIME. THEY WOULD NOT BE RECEPTIVE TO US FLINGING ACCUSATIONS AT THEM EITHER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.