Reporter given unwanted clearance to descend 4000 ft below desired cruise altitude.

Attributes
ACN	433114
Time
Date	199904
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gso.airport
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : ns.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	433114
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Controller directed us to descend from FL330 to FL290 for traffic. Being over 1 hour away from destination going from atl-bos, requested off course vector to avoid descent. Request was denied and we descended. We requested a return to FL330. Told it was on request. Changed frequency. Request had not been forwarded by previous controller. Requested and received clearance to return to FL330. One solution: controllers don't understand impact of 4000 ft altitude change for aircraft in cruise on fuel burn. They get locked into their conflict resolution idea and do not accommodate. We don't carry as much fuel anymore to do this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR GIVEN UNWANTED CLRNC TO DSND 4000 FT BELOW DESIRED CRUISE ALT.

Narrative: CTLR DIRECTED US TO DSND FROM FL330 TO FL290 FOR TFC. BEING OVER 1 HR AWAY FROM DEST GOING FROM ATL-BOS, REQUESTED OFF COURSE VECTOR TO AVOID DSCNT. REQUEST WAS DENIED AND WE DSNDED. WE REQUESTED A RETURN TO FL330. TOLD IT WAS ON REQUEST. CHANGED FREQ. REQUEST HAD NOT BEEN FORWARDED BY PREVIOUS CTLR. REQUESTED AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO RETURN TO FL330. ONE SOLUTION: CTLRS DON'T UNDERSTAND IMPACT OF 4000 FT ALT CHANGE FOR ACFT IN CRUISE ON FUEL BURN. THEY GET LOCKED INTO THEIR CONFLICT RESOLUTION IDEA AND DO NOT ACCOMMODATE. WE DON'T CARRY AS MUCH FUEL ANYMORE TO DO THIS.

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.