Narrative:

On the first 4 frequencys en route to yyz out of mia, we were given turns off course to accommodate distant conflicting traffic. When the fifth controller told us 'turn left 15 degrees,' we complied with the request. However, I explained to him that we were inconvenienced each previous frequency change and could he vector the other aircraft instead. My request must have agitated him (perhaps he thought my request out of line) and said 'I'll tell you what, turn left 35 degrees.' we complied with the request, but the first officer and I were taken aback as we thought we were being punished for our request. Other radio exchanges with this controller were cool on both our parts. He asked me to call him on the ground, but as I was going to be inaccessible in canada, I asked him to spell out his gripes, as I saw no particular problem with our initial request. It was jan/xa/01 and a quiet day on the radio. At this point, he threatened me with some unspecified action and advised that they would be contacting me through the company. I think it important that an ATC coordinator review this, as the controller made no effort to explain his initial vector and took an aircraft 20 degrees beyond the necessary heading -- apparently on some personal whim. An explanation would have sufficed, but an intentional vectoring of an aircraft off its intended course is contrary to anyone's idea of professionalism.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: S80 PIC QUESTIONS ZTL CTLR'S MOTIVES FOR VECTORING AND THE CTLR'S APPARENT RESPONSE TO ISSUE AN ADDITIONAL VECTOR OFF COURSE.

Narrative: ON THE FIRST 4 FREQS ENRTE TO YYZ OUT OF MIA, WE WERE GIVEN TURNS OFF COURSE TO ACCOMMODATE DISTANT CONFLICTING TFC. WHEN THE FIFTH CTLR TOLD US 'TURN L 15 DEGS,' WE COMPLIED WITH THE REQUEST. HOWEVER, I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT WE WERE INCONVENIENCED EACH PREVIOUS FREQ CHANGE AND COULD HE VECTOR THE OTHER ACFT INSTEAD. MY REQUEST MUST HAVE AGITATED HIM (PERHAPS HE THOUGHT MY REQUEST OUT OF LINE) AND SAID 'I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, TURN L 35 DEGS.' WE COMPLIED WITH THE REQUEST, BUT THE FO AND I WERE TAKEN ABACK AS WE THOUGHT WE WERE BEING PUNISHED FOR OUR REQUEST. OTHER RADIO EXCHANGES WITH THIS CTLR WERE COOL ON BOTH OUR PARTS. HE ASKED ME TO CALL HIM ON THE GND, BUT AS I WAS GOING TO BE INACCESSIBLE IN CANADA, I ASKED HIM TO SPELL OUT HIS GRIPES, AS I SAW NO PARTICULAR PROB WITH OUR INITIAL REQUEST. IT WAS JAN/XA/01 AND A QUIET DAY ON THE RADIO. AT THIS POINT, HE THREATENED ME WITH SOME UNSPECIFIED ACTION AND ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD BE CONTACTING ME THROUGH THE COMPANY. I THINK IT IMPORTANT THAT AN ATC COORDINATOR REVIEW THIS, AS THE CTLR MADE NO EFFORT TO EXPLAIN HIS INITIAL VECTOR AND TOOK AN ACFT 20 DEGS BEYOND THE NECESSARY HDG -- APPARENTLY ON SOME PERSONAL WHIM. AN EXPLANATION WOULD HAVE SUFFICED, BUT AN INTENTIONAL VECTORING OF AN ACFT OFF ITS INTENDED COURSE IS CONTRARY TO ANYONE'S IDEA OF PROFESSIONALISM.

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.