B737-700
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Communication Breakdown; Other / Unknown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Airspace Structure; Human Factors; Procedure
A B737 inbound to LAS at 13;000 FT and in hand off stage to LAS Approach. As aircraft approached CLARR; I told D-Side to call LAS Approach with a hand off. As I listened to my D-Side's conversation; I sensed that Approach was not going to take this hand off so instructed the B737 to turn right heading 160. The B737 penetrated LAS Approach's airspace without a hand off being accepted or permission to enter being provided. I kept the B737 on a heading until LAS Approach released the SKBER holding airspace to us. I cleared the B737 to SKBER to hold as published. etc. etc.; we were told that we could expect to hold LAS arrival traffic. We acknowledge the supervisor but were never told by the Supervisor or LAS Approach to hold anyone until the B737 was denied entry. Due to the nature of this Sector 6 'beast' that is our arrival. Every arrival has the chance to be an airspace violation whenever LAS refuses a hand off due to the fact that we wait to call LAS on hand offs just at or before CLARR Intersection. CLARR Intersection is 5 miles from the LAS boundary. Even if Approach says unable hand off; we would have to initiate a call at least 15 before CLARR in order to remain clear. In most cases LAS says 'RADAR' or 'approved to enter' this is the 1 time they refused and no coordination was provided to the Area Supervisor or the Sector by TMU or LAS Approach. So we were left 'hanging' thinking that normal operations were in effect when LAS Approach was already in a holding mode that our sector was not made aware of. We have been doing this type of operation for many years now and it is not a perfect way but there is no procedure to protect us from another violation in the future when we are refused entry. A letter of agreement must be modified to address this situation ASAP.
ZLA Controller described an airspace incursion event when LAS Approach Control suddenly refused a hand off right at the boundary line. The reporter suggests that procedures need to be changed with regard to the coordination limit.