Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Declared Emergency
Procedure; Weather
Prior to takeoff; ATC advised us that we would be expected to fly runway heading until we were high enough to avoid thunderstorms that were building in all quadrants. Then we were cleared for takeoff Runway 15. After takeoff; climbing through 10;000; the Departure Controller told us to turn left to 340 heading. We started the left turn. Then; we told the Controller we can't fly 340 heading because of weather. We requested a 010 heading to go through a hole. The Controller said; he was unable; due to active MOA. Then; we requested a 330 heading to go through another hole in the weather. The Controller once again said; he was unable due to active MOA. We continued our left turn spiraling above the airport. Then; we requested 040 heading for another hole. This time the Controller approved our 040 heading for weather. After rolling out on 040 heading we had climbed to and leveled at 13;000. We requested higher; once again to get above the weather. The Departure Controller said he would have to ask to Center. Then Departure advised us to change to the Center frequency. While flying on the 040 heading we flew through a hole in the thunderstorms; but then there was another even larger line of thunderstorms straight ahead. After checking in with Center frequency; we requested a 330 heading to avoid weather. The Controller said; 'no one ever flies where we were. We were at the junction of 4 to 5 different airspace sectors.' The Controller; then said; he would have to contact each agency to get permission. After another minute; with the big line of thunderstorms getting closer; we again; requested a 330 heading for weather. The Controller said he was still checking with the other agencies. Considering we were completely boxed in by the thunderstorms and a heading of 330 was the only option to avoid the storms; I told the Center Controller; 'I am declaring a weather emergency and turning left to a heading of 330.' The Controller; complied; though he was not sure what a weather emergency was. After several minutes of navigating around the line of thunderstorms; we popped out into the clear. With no ATC clearance to follow; we paralleled the arrival by about 20 miles to east. After several minutes; we requested a heading or clearance to rejoin the arrival. The Controller wanted to know if our weather emergency was over? We told him that it was. The Center Controller gave us a heading to fly. We rejoined the arrival and landed uneventfully.ATC was unable to grant pilot's request for headings to deviate around weather. Controllers should not have to contact 4 or 5 separate government agencies to approve a plane to fly through a block of airspace. When pilots request to deviate around weather; controllers should be able to approve it or disapprove it instantly. The controllers should not have to call the agencies for approval on the telephone.
An air carrier declared an emergency to deviate around surrounding weather after ATC refused all deviation requests for various reasons.