B767 captain berated controller for not giving him climb clearance instantly.

Attributes
ACN	519410
Time
Date	200107
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zab.artcc
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 1581
ASRS Report	519410
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were at FL350 when the captain wanted to climb to FL390. He asked me (first officer) to get the clearance from ZAB. I asked for a request and was told to stand by. At this time the captain jumped on the frequency and became terse with the controller wanting to know the reason why he could not have FL390 right away. The controller told the captain that there was traffic ahead and he would have to wait. The captain was not satisfied with this remark and continued in an aggressive manner to berate the controller. The controller was obviously busy with other traffic and did not warrant such verbal abuse. My attempts to calm the captain down were unsuccessful. The controller instructed us to turn 10 degrees left for vectors for the climb and said it would be about 4 mins before he could give us the requested altitude. After about 20 seconds, the captain once again started in with the controller inquiring as to why we were not allowed to climb. The controller stated 'for the umpteenth time I told you there is traffic ahead and you'll have to wait.' after giving us the clearance to climb the controller gave the captain a phone number to call as soon as possible after landing. The captain's excessive, compulsive and aggressive tone was not unique to this one frequency. He created an adversarial relationship with the controllers as well as on the flight deck.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 CAPT BERATED CTLR FOR NOT GIVING HIM CLB CLRNC INSTANTLY.

Narrative: WE WERE AT FL350 WHEN THE CAPT WANTED TO CLB TO FL390. HE ASKED ME (FO) TO GET THE CLRNC FROM ZAB. I ASKED FOR A REQUEST AND WAS TOLD TO STAND BY. AT THIS TIME THE CAPT JUMPED ON THE FREQ AND BECAME TERSE WITH THE CTLR WANTING TO KNOW THE REASON WHY HE COULD NOT HAVE FL390 RIGHT AWAY. THE CTLR TOLD THE CAPT THAT THERE WAS TFC AHEAD AND HE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT. THE CAPT WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THIS REMARK AND CONTINUED IN AN AGGRESSIVE MANNER TO BERATE THE CTLR. THE CTLR WAS OBVIOUSLY BUSY WITH OTHER TFC AND DID NOT WARRANT SUCH VERBAL ABUSE. MY ATTEMPTS TO CALM THE CAPT DOWN WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO TURN 10 DEGS L FOR VECTORS FOR THE CLB AND SAID IT WOULD BE ABOUT 4 MINS BEFORE HE COULD GIVE US THE REQUESTED ALT. AFTER ABOUT 20 SECONDS, THE CAPT ONCE AGAIN STARTED IN WITH THE CTLR INQUIRING AS TO WHY WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO CLB. THE CTLR STATED 'FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME I TOLD YOU THERE IS TFC AHEAD AND YOU'LL HAVE TO WAIT.' AFTER GIVING US THE CLRNC TO CLB THE CTLR GAVE THE CAPT A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL ASAP AFTER LNDG. THE CAPT'S EXCESSIVE, COMPULSIVE AND AGGRESSIVE TONE WAS NOT UNIQUE TO THIS ONE FREQ. HE CREATED AN ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CTLRS AS WELL AS ON THE FLT DECK.

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.