Beechjet 400
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Communication Breakdown; Other / Unknown
ATC Issue All Types
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors
I approved the Beechcraft Beechjet at FL400 from ZTL due to a bad ride because of weather; to stay on top. I APPREDed the Beechjet at FL400 with Sector 85; an ultra high that owns [FL]350 and above. The Controller without a hesitation or traffic scan said; 'Unable; I have a 40.' I quick looked and could not even see anyone at FL400. I said; 'You can't vector him; he's trying to stay above the weather.' She responded; 'Just take him under my airspace he needs to get down anyway.' At this point the aircraft was 290 NM from his destination. I responded with a question; 'A Melborn lander?' She said; 'Yes we have to get him to FL270.' I hung up in disbelief and turned the aircraft 20 degrees right and started down to 370 to stay away from her airspace. Sector 85 from the NW corner to the SW is 120NM long. More than enough time to get a high performance jet down. As I also quick looked I saw that she had only 3 or 4 planes. After clearing my traffic at FL360; I continued the plane down to FL330. I normally would have tried to work out something else; but her outright refusal to work an airplane enraged me and I did not want to risk calling her back for the fear I might say something inappropriate. When the plane was out of FL355; I turned him back to ORL and flashed to R17. Now R17 has an aircraft at FL340; 40 miles away and they call me and tell me to stop him at FL350 and that they would take care of the point out with 85. I informed my FLM and his response was one of not caring and said; 'Well; if they have to get him to 270; that's their call.' We never descend aircraft landing MLB because it is 300 miles from our boundary. This area which included Sectors 17/85/34/33/16/86 are notorious for not wanting to work aircraft and will issue control instructions to move aircraft out of their airspace and use nothing more than altitude to separate airplanes; when nothing more than a 10 degree turn will solve 95% or the conflicts. This lack of caring; service; professionalism and ability is crippling this system and causing many more safety problems. For example; this same area had a meltdown last week due to weather and increased volume. It was a situation that is only 75% of the traffic we used to work and did it much more smoothly and provided better service. I just wanted to log this report as to a status of how incompetent and lazy the controllers in this system have become. Many people need [to be] completely retrained or removed from their position. Local Management also needs removed completely from this building. They will not perform any sort of performance management and let the controllers do what ever they want; with no consequence for their actions. I am embarrassed to call myself a Controller; when this workforce represents my profession.
ZJX Controller described a refused acceptance event for an aircraft requesting altitudes/vectors to avoid weather; noting the decreased professionalism among his fellow controllers.