Narrative:

ZMA cleared our aircraft to climb to FL300. Read back clearance and queried if mdsd control approved climb as we were still in mdsd airspace. Controller repeated same clearance without acknowledging query. Repeated same acknowledgement with same inquiry. Controller repeats climb to FL300 with a snide; cynical repeat without answering the question if we were permitted by mdsd to climb within their airspace. I stated we could use a little less attitude and clarification please before climbing to FL300. Another voice jumps on the frequency (supervisor?); and a very angry tirade ensues. The controller unloads a vitriol unlike any lack of comportment that I've heard in my 34 yrs of professional aviation. The controller in his tirade states; 'air carrier X; if ZMA issues you a clearance; we expect you to comply! We know what we're doing down here!' I reiterated once again; 'sir; we are fully capable of complying with the clearance to climb; the issue needs to be resolved if mdsd approves our climb in their airspace.' other aircraft on frequency began calling in their validation of this simple request and requirement since we were south of the mia fir boundary. Our aircraft was now at besas; the fir boundary; mdsd now cleared us to contact mia; never once having cleared us out of FL240. I now stated on the radio as a result of the tension present; 'ok everyone; take a deep breath; air carrier X is departing FL240 for FL300.' normally when ZMA clears an aircraft to climb with mdsd's airspace; the fact is stated 'if it's ok with santo domingo you may now climb to such and such;' or; 'I just cleared with santo domingo on a landline; you are now cleared....' this was never spoken. Climb was completed without incident. Aircraft was never in a situation where a deviation clearance was necessary. The only safety compromise was the very dysfunctional attitude and lack of comportment administered on this radio frequency by ZMA and their inability to communicate a concise clearance with the edification if coordination had been conducted with mdsd control. The supervisor's intervention would not have been needed if the first climb clearance or query was responded to factually to the question at hand. He vitiated a scolding tirade the likes of which were an embarrassment to all who were listening and thus the input from the other aircraft who were on listening watch.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAPT REPORTS BEING ISSUED CLIMB CLEARANCE BY ZMA WHILE STILL IN MDSD AIRSPACE. FLT CREW IS SUBJECTED TO VERBAL TIRADE AFTER ASKING FOR CONFIRMATION THAT MDSD IS AWARE OF THE CLEARANCE.

Narrative: ZMA CLRED OUR ACFT TO CLB TO FL300. READ BACK CLRNC AND QUERIED IF MDSD CTL APPROVED CLB AS WE WERE STILL IN MDSD AIRSPACE. CTLR REPEATED SAME CLRNC WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING QUERY. REPEATED SAME ACKNOWLEDGEMENT WITH SAME INQUIRY. CTLR REPEATS CLB TO FL300 WITH A SNIDE; CYNICAL REPEAT WITHOUT ANSWERING THE QUESTION IF WE WERE PERMITTED BY MDSD TO CLB WITHIN THEIR AIRSPACE. I STATED WE COULD USE A LITTLE LESS ATTITUDE AND CLARIFICATION PLEASE BEFORE CLBING TO FL300. ANOTHER VOICE JUMPS ON THE FREQ (SUPVR?); AND A VERY ANGRY TIRADE ENSUES. THE CTLR UNLOADS A VITRIOL UNLIKE ANY LACK OF COMPORTMENT THAT I'VE HEARD IN MY 34 YRS OF PROFESSIONAL AVIATION. THE CTLR IN HIS TIRADE STATES; 'ACR X; IF ZMA ISSUES YOU A CLRNC; WE EXPECT YOU TO COMPLY! WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING DOWN HERE!' I REITERATED ONCE AGAIN; 'SIR; WE ARE FULLY CAPABLE OF COMPLYING WITH THE CLRNC TO CLB; THE ISSUE NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED IF MDSD APPROVES OUR CLB IN THEIR AIRSPACE.' OTHER ACFT ON FREQ BEGAN CALLING IN THEIR VALIDATION OF THIS SIMPLE REQUEST AND REQUIREMENT SINCE WE WERE S OF THE MIA FIR BOUNDARY. OUR ACFT WAS NOW AT BESAS; THE FIR BOUNDARY; MDSD NOW CLRED US TO CONTACT MIA; NEVER ONCE HAVING CLRED US OUT OF FL240. I NOW STATED ON THE RADIO AS A RESULT OF THE TENSION PRESENT; 'OK EVERYONE; TAKE A DEEP BREATH; ACR X IS DEPARTING FL240 FOR FL300.' NORMALLY WHEN ZMA CLEARS AN ACFT TO CLB WITH MDSD'S AIRSPACE; THE FACT IS STATED 'IF IT'S OK WITH SANTO DOMINGO YOU MAY NOW CLB TO SUCH AND SUCH;' OR; 'I JUST CLRED WITH SANTO DOMINGO ON A LANDLINE; YOU ARE NOW CLRED....' THIS WAS NEVER SPOKEN. CLB WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ACFT WAS NEVER IN A SITUATION WHERE A DEV CLRNC WAS NECESSARY. THE ONLY SAFETY COMPROMISE WAS THE VERY DYSFUNCTIONAL ATTITUDE AND LACK OF COMPORTMENT ADMINISTERED ON THIS RADIO FREQ BY ZMA AND THEIR INABILITY TO COMMUNICATE A CONCISE CLRNC WITH THE EDIFICATION IF COORD HAD BEEN CONDUCTED WITH MDSD CTL. THE SUPVR'S INTERVENTION WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN NEEDED IF THE FIRST CLB CLRNC OR QUERY WAS RESPONDED TO FACTUALLY TO THE QUESTION AT HAND. HE VITIATED A SCOLDING TIRADE THE LIKES OF WHICH WERE AN EMBARRASSMENT TO ALL WHO WERE LISTENING AND THUS THE INPUT FROM THE OTHER ACFT WHO WERE ON LISTENING WATCH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.