B767-300 and 300 ER
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Procedure
I was working FD/CD when Air Carrier X plan printed out. I was really surprised to see that the strip indicated that it was amendment 1. I had not seen that flight plan print out earlier. The remarks section did not say anything in the remarks about FRC or indicate any other change. The route on the flight plan was a good route. Because the flight plan was amendment 1 I could not send it PDC. My years of experience at ZZZ told me that someone at ZZZ ARTCC TMC unit had amended the flight plan before it printed out. We have had a problem for the last 10 years of new TMC's at ZZZ ARTCC making changes to flight plans and not placing FRC or anything in the remarks. Then the Tower issues the flight plan 'as filed' and someone loses separation. I handed the strip to the FLM and advised him that he could call ARTCC and find out what they changed on the flight plan so I could ensure that the pilot and ATC had it correct. Often this call to ARTCC reminds the TMC at ARTCC that they can't make changes and not place info in the remarks. The FLM said 'no just clear him as filed; if the ARTCC messed it up it is their fault'; I told the FLM that in the past that had gotten people in trouble down the line with a loss of separation when the pilot turned the wrong way. The FLM said just do it. So I did as I was instructed. I cleared him as filed. The pilot read it back correctly. Then the pilot asked me what arrival procedure he should fly. I asked what he filed. He said something like ZZZ.XXX8.ZZZZZ.YYY.AAAA.ZZZ1. Well needless to say that is not what I showed. My copy showed ZZZ.XXX8.ZZZZZ.BBBB.YYY.ZZZ1(STAR).ZZZ1. I turned to the FLM and told him what Air Carrier X said. As I was explaining to the FLM why he should have listened to me; someone removed the flight plan. I have attached a copy of the flight plan. I advised the FLM to log it and find out who made the mistake. I am guessing the ARTCC was training a new TMC. The reason I say this is I had more than one issue with what ARTCC was changing on flight plans in the session. Recommendation; have ARTCC explain to the TMC's that they can't make changes to flight plans without placing info in the remarks. The ARTCC ZZZ LOA says ARTCC can't make changes to flight plans inside of 30 proposed times. Brief ARTCC TMC's about this requirement also. We always taught new controllers at ZZZ on the clearance position; if it was amendments with no remarks give the pilot an FRC.
Tower Controller working FD/CD described an unsafe event when the Center TMC apparently initiated a route change but failed to add remarks to alert the reporter of same.