Small Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turboprop Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 11
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Training / Qualification; Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure
Aircraft X entered D01 airspace not in accordance with LOA and without prior approval. Sector 21 controller called to APREQ Aircraft X direct APA from the north gate. APA was landing north; and this route would not have saved him time or miles; so the D01 controller advised Sector 21 'unable' and to put the aircraft on the LOA approved routing. ZDV controller called the D01 controller back and advised him; 'he IS coming' and then did just that. Violated airspace and procedures and put the D01 controller in a bad position. Disband ZDV and split up their airspace to be shared between the adjacent centers. For decades ZDV has proven they are not team players in the NAS and are becoming a detriment to safety. If safety is our number one priority; lets prove that by eliminating the problem.  At a minimum the controller who egregiously violated D01 airspace and forced an aircraft into D01 airspace without approved coordination should receive maximum disciplinary action available.
I would like to preface this event by stating that this is a hotly contested situation between 2 facilities (DEN ARTCC and DEN TRACON) right now and the policy that has been implemented by DEN TRACON which seems to fly in the face of the mission and guidelines of air traffic control which emphasizes safety and duty priorities defined in the 7110.65. It seems wrong on not only the level of giving undue delays to MEDEVAC aircraft as defined by the 7110.65; but also on a human level that eventually this could cost someone their life. I may have acted out of line; but this event involved a child on a critical MEDEVAC flight which is being denied priority handling and causing undue delays during what appeared to be a low traffic/low difficulty period in DEN TRACON's airspace. Apparently; all of the controllers are being told to deny almost every APREQ (Approach Requests) for direct to airports within DEN TRACON's airspace no matter what level of traffic they have. There was a document released recently that stated that APREQS could be accepted between the facilities; but they seem to be denying all of them regardless of that document for no good reason. This is unsafe and could be endangering the lives of the passengers in critical conditions on these flights. Again; I will act differently in future situations; but for the purpose of this one; I was getting very emotionally involved and acted too extremely.The situation occurred as follows.Aircraft X departed ZZZ and was handed off to sector 21 currently on a direct route to APA. Aircraft X checked on at XA:04.37. I asked if they were critical today. They responded; 'yes sir.' I did double check that they were critical. At XA:12.00 I called the North Departure controller to APREQ trying to offer them at whatever altitude they would need them and to also offer them control. The TRACON controller's response was; 'Ah; I am going to say unable; you can call and discuss it with the Sup.' (During this time there were no departures out the north gate; nor were there any departures during the entire time this event occurred including well after the aircraft entered DEN TRACON's airspace). I saw that he had no departures and that given control they had plenty of time to blend them in with traffic from the Northeast. I also didn't at this point didn't feel that I had enough time to get into it with the supervisors calling back and forth. I began to let my emotions get the best of me and this is where I could have handled it differently. I responded; 'Okay; I'm going to say; he's coming. I'll tell the Sup; but he's coming. Which altitude would you like him at. He's your control.' He said; 'It's not approved; you've got to approve it first.' I think that they hung up on me and wouldn't answer my calls. Which I understand now he may have been working traffic in a different capacity out another gate or something; but I thought he was just disregarding me. I tried to call back and thought that he was ignoring me; so I tried to explain that the flight was critical and he was basically trying to stop an ambulance at a red light which is ridiculous.At this point I reached out to the MEDEVAC who should have the right of way and tried to explain what was going on and that I would fight for them to see how they wanted me to proceed. The basic answer was that they said that they would like me to see what I could do and that made me determined to fight for their right-of-way as defined in the 7110.65. (Again; in hindsight I could have handled it differently I realize that I was being Bull-headed and at this point maybe unprofessional.)I called North departure back and they picked up and asked if I was declaring an emergency for the MEDEVAC. I said that I would if I had to and then I tried to argue the point. I was upset and during my rant I think that they hung up again.I went back to the MEDEVAC and told them that the only way they would let them in is if I [requested priority] for them whichI said that I was doing and that I would need their information as if it was an emergency. They said not to [give them priority] because they didn't want to stir the pot; but I was upset and I wanted to fight for what I thought was the right thing to do at the time. I [requested priority] for them because a turn at that point would be significant and head them towards weather. They said okay and gave me their information; 5 souls on board and 3 hrs of fuel remaining. The supervisor asked me to get the nature of the [priority situation] and the pilot responded that it was a critical patient that needed to get to the hospital. TRACON had taken the hand off by this point and I then shipped the MEDEVAC to approaches frequency. Another pilot thanked me for standing up for the MEDEVAC and I was basically in tears over the situation. Another controller came to get me out and I did my best to give the briefing; but I was very upset.Maybe I don't have the big picture all of the time and there could very well be a good reason to send a MEDEVAC on a critical mission over to an arrival gate sometimes; but there is also something so wrong about simply instructing controllers to deny any and all priority flights where people's lives could be at stake and who need the most expeditious handling possible. Whoever is telling them to do that is stripping the TRACON controller's ability to use good judgment in each situation and going against their own document that clearly said that APREQS would be reviewed and accepted on a case-by-case basis. They are flat out denying everything regardless of the scenario for what reasons I cannot fathom; but it uncaring un-dutiful and UNSAFE. I would suggest that someone step in to allow APREQS during low traffic periods an on a case-by-case basis more often.
Denver Center Controllers reported problems with Medevac aircraft and coordination with D01 TRACON.