Light Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 2
Situational Awareness; Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Procedure; Human Factors
Both aircraft were departing the Nashville Approach airspace. Aircraft X was handed off to me first. I climbed Aircraft X to FL230. BNA then flashes Aircraft Y climbing. Aircraft X turned from a 150 heading to a 190 heading without any instruction from me. I assumed BNA APCH had told Aircraft X that he could turn out of a certain altitude. None of this was coordinated with me. The aircraft looked to be on parallel headings when I took the hand off on Aircraft X with a slight converge to within 5 nm in about 5-6 minutes. Aircraft Y was climbing just as well as Aircraft X and was at the same altitude or within a 1000 feet the whole time Aircraft X was climbing to FL230. I did not take the hand off on Aircraft Y and BNA called me for a hand off. I asked BNA what Aircraft Y was climbing to and the controller at BNA said that he was stepping him up reference Aircraft X. He also said that if I would have taken the hand off he would have discussed it with me then. The Controller at BNA has had a few other issues with ZME Controllers. The fact that he wanted me to take the hand off and then coordinate makes me think he doesn't know how approval requests work. I didn't know what Aircraft Y was doing and as far as I was concerned BNA was handing me a deal so I was within my right to refuse the hand off. The easiest way to fix this issue was either coordinate intentions; or put the aircraft on course and wait till 5 nm was established. Aircraft X on course heading was southerly and Aircraft Y on course was southeast. Aircraft X was on the right and Aircraft Y was on the left. BNA could have turned Aircraft Y to the east to cross out with Aircraft X and then flashed Aircraft Y to me. It seems with this instance and several problems with OPDs (Optimized Profile Descent) BNA has gotten very lax on separation going to an enroute environment.
ZME Center Controller reported hand off issues with a BNA Approach Controller.