Narrative:

WX avoidance. Approaching south of abq, there was a line of WX from 11 O'clock position to the north horizon. I requested south deviation, as tops appeared above FL350. Center refused, citing white sands airspace. Requested they ask white sands for permission. They did. White sands refused, citing a 'mission.' we were lectured as to the fact that white sands was a 'customer' just like us, and had to be accommodated, just like us. We deviated north and passed through moderate chop in an anvil cloud. Fortunately there were no further cells in the attenuated area behind the first line. As we prepared to leave the frequency, we were given a phone number to call, and were threatened with having 'our case' turned over to someone if we did not call, I guess for daring to argue with them about the deviation. Unfortunately we lost the phone number after arrival at ont and were unable to comply. The ATC folks obviously need to be reminded that avoiding a convective cell at high altitude is not optional or something we would like to do if it is convenient. I sure don't want to be hit by a missile, but sending me through a thunderstorm instead is not the answer. And threatening me with some sort of violation because I questioned their actions is very counterproductive.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW HAD AN UNCOOPERATIVE ATC CTLR WHEN REQUESTING A RTE DIVERSION TO AVOID TSTM ACTIVITY.

Narrative: WX AVOIDANCE. APCHING S OF ABQ, THERE WAS A LINE OF WX FROM 11 O'CLOCK POS TO THE N HORIZON. I REQUESTED S DEV, AS TOPS APPEARED ABOVE FL350. CTR REFUSED, CITING WHITE SANDS AIRSPACE. REQUESTED THEY ASK WHITE SANDS FOR PERMISSION. THEY DID. WHITE SANDS REFUSED, CITING A 'MISSION.' WE WERE LECTURED AS TO THE FACT THAT WHITE SANDS WAS A 'CUSTOMER' JUST LIKE US, AND HAD TO BE ACCOMMODATED, JUST LIKE US. WE DEVIATED N AND PASSED THROUGH MODERATE CHOP IN AN ANVIL CLOUD. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO FURTHER CELLS IN THE ATTENUATED AREA BEHIND THE FIRST LINE. AS WE PREPARED TO LEAVE THE FREQ, WE WERE GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL, AND WERE THREATENED WITH HAVING 'OUR CASE' TURNED OVER TO SOMEONE IF WE DID NOT CALL, I GUESS FOR DARING TO ARGUE WITH THEM ABOUT THE DEV. UNFORTUNATELY WE LOST THE PHONE NUMBER AFTER ARR AT ONT AND WERE UNABLE TO COMPLY. THE ATC FOLKS OBVIOUSLY NEED TO BE REMINDED THAT AVOIDING A CONVECTIVE CELL AT HIGH ALT IS NOT OPTIONAL OR SOMETHING WE WOULD LIKE TO DO IF IT IS CONVENIENT. I SURE DON'T WANT TO BE HIT BY A MISSILE, BUT SENDING ME THROUGH A TSTM INSTEAD IS NOT THE ANSWER. AND THREATENING ME WITH SOME SORT OF VIOLATION BECAUSE I QUESTIONED THEIR ACTIONS IS VERY COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.

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.