B757-200
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100; Flight Crew Total 27000; Flight Crew Type 4000
Time Pressure; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Distraction
ATC Issue All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Environment - Non Weather Related; Weather; Procedure
Enroute to TPA there was a line of thunderstorms from east to west extending from the Gulf to the Atlantic. Prior to leaving we were made aware of this line by Dispatch and looked at it on radar. It appeared to be moving very slowly south but would not impact the TPA area until well after our arrival. The tops were reported to be FL350. Our flight was planned at FL390 and we had a smooth ride at this altitude. Approaching the area of weather from the north approximately in the area of Valdosta; we were directed by ATC (JAX ARTCC) to descend to FL270 to go through the weather as there was moderate turbulence reported along the arrival and that he had to start us down now for traffic. I told the Controller I thought it would be better to stay at FL390; fly over the weather and descend on the other side. The Controller immediately went ballistic and told us that could not happen under any circumstances and turn left immediately to 090. He then switched us to another Controller. This Controller told us to descend to FL380 and I told this Controller that I would like to remain at FL390; fly south over the weather and descend in the clear air into TPA. This Controller also went ballistic and asked me 'Are you refusing to descend into the weather?' I said I could descend to FL380 but not lower into the weather. He then went on a three minute tirade about how he wasn't going to change the whole system for one airplane (us) and that there was a lot of other traffic that he would have to reroute and he was not going to do this for one airplane.. .. blah; blah; blah.. I told him we could discuss it on the ground and that I would like vectors south over the weather. Instead of giving us vectors south; which would have taken us over and clear of the weather; he turned us NORTH to a heading of 310. After several minutes on this heading; which I considered a 'punishment' vector; I asked him 'for planning purposes how long are we going to remain on this heading?' He went into another tirade; and I told him we were going to have a fuel problem if this wasn't resolved. He then left and another Controller suddenly took over the position. I briefly explained the situation and that I needed to head toward TPA or that we would have a fuel problem. By this time; I had little choice but to descend into the weather and got vectors from these Controllers to join a charted arrival from the east where; even though we experienced moderate turbulence during the descent; the weather was not as severe as that to the west. All I wanted to do was give my passengers a smooth; safe ride through an area; which we KNEW contained moderate or greater turbulence and the Controllers at the JAX Center refused to accommodate this goal. All we had to do was fly direct to TPA; and descend on the backside of the weather in clear air. But the JAX Center was hell bent on making sure everyone followed a specific path THROUGH THE WEATHER; no matter what. No other options were apparently available according to these Controllers. The treatment we received from JAX ARTCC was and is patently unacceptable and placed our flight in unnecessarily rough air; which could have been easily avoided. Instead we were directed straight through an area of known moderate turbulence. In retrospect; I should have stuck to my guns and asked for a clearance to MIA and then changed it and returned to TPA after we were clear of the weather; but that is 20/20 hindsight.
[Narrative #2 contained no additional information]
A B757 crew refused to descend into known thunderstorm related turbulence and consequently Controllers vectored the flight opposite the planned destination until fuel became an issue at which time a descent through moderate turbulence was accepted.