Large Transport
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 1
Situational Awareness; Human-Machine Interface; Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Training / Qualification
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Airspace Structure; Procedure; Human Factors
I was working the Radar on sectors 6 and 26.  I received a hand-off from high altitude sector and the assigned altitude was FL260; which was below the stratum of the high altitude sector and the top altitude of my airspace.  The aircraft checked in with the altitude FL260 and was descending into my airspace.  Prior to this there was no coordination done from the previous controller that the aircraft would be descending into my airspace other than what was in the data block.  I did protect for the possibility that the aircraft was actually descending as well as if it was assigned FL270 as I would normally expect.There needs to be clear guidance as to when the assigned altitude in the data block can be accepted as coordination.  If this scenario were to happen during a very busy ski country day I would have no time to reach out to stop that aircraft and there will be a real safety issue if this practice is allowed to continue.  Most controllers wouldn't do this; but there are a few who are continuing to do this because there is no clear direction in any documents.
A ZDV Controller reported of a lack of coordination from the overlying sector. Aircraft descended with a hand off into his airspace. Other than data block information the Controller reported the other sector should have coordinated something verbally. The reporter stated there was no clear direction in any documents as to what should happen.