Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 5
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Distraction
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Human Factors; Procedure
Aircraft X was an ATL departure enroute to IAH. TMU (Traffic Management Unit) called and said to 'slow the Aircraft X to slowest practical speed.' The controller complied. The aircraft speed that Aircraft X was following was in the airspace of the controller next to the R3 Controller. It is very unsafe and impractical for TMU to assign control instructions. This aircraft was left at slowest practical speed indefinitely which ultimately will affect the entire day of flights for Aircraft X. This can also cause near collisions between aircraft.TMU needs to call and say what aircraft they need XXX distance between and allow the controllers to figure out the best way to get that spacing. Let the controllers be controllers. This is a very hazardous practice that TMU has begun. It needs to stop because it is dangerous. I have reported this issue 3 times now.
ZTL Controller reports of the Traffic Management Controller (TMC) calling and telling to slow an aircraft to its slowest practical speed. The ZTL Controller claimed it was unsafe and the TMC should have given some other type of restriction like miles in trail.