Narrative:

I had just sat down at the sector and was on position for no more than 5 minutes when the situation happened. I was briefed that aircraft Y was by himself on AR207NE. Aircraft X was on course at FL310 requesting FL350. Aircraft Y was on course (so I thought) at FL330. Aircraft Y requested a descent to block FL260 through FL280 and wanted clearance for refueling with a tanker. He said he was marsa with the tanker. I did not have the tanker and told him I had his request. I put a 5 NM halo around aircraft Z as aircraft Z and aircraft Y were diverging. As soon as I had 5NM I climbed aircraft Z and descended aircraft Y. I had already qu'ed [route check] aircraft Y and it was showing right on course up AR207NE. I noticed aircraft Y turning left into aircraft Z. I turned aircraft Y 30 degrees right; then I turned aircraft Z 30 degrees left. I then called traffic to both aircraft one at a time. It appeared to show about 4-4.5NM at the same altitude at FL320 at the closest. After getting separation; I asked aircraft Y why he was turning. He told me they filed for a delay at a fix and was cleared as filed. My flight plan did not show any delay except a request for one in the remarks section. When I told him I showed a request in my flight plan; he acknowledged that it was in his remarks section as well. He said; 'my bad' and that he should have at least announced that he was going to make a turn up ahead. The pilot thought he was cleared to enter a delay. Whether he was or not; I do not know; but if he was; it wasn't communicated up the chain and the delay wasn't entered into the flight plan. If he wasn't; it was a pilot deviation.controllers need to make sure if they clear for a delay; they either forward the information or enter the delay in the flight plan if that was the issue. Military tanker pilots need better training to make sure they have proper clearances and understand the difference between a clearance and a remark.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZJX Controller reports a loss of separation due to an aircraft that turned off course into another aircraft route because the pilot thought it was allowed.

Narrative: I had just sat down at the sector and was on position for no more than 5 minutes when the situation happened. I was briefed that Aircraft Y was by himself on AR207NE. Aircraft X was on course at FL310 requesting FL350. Aircraft Y was on course (so I thought) at FL330. Aircraft Y requested a descent to block FL260 through FL280 and wanted clearance for refueling with a tanker. He said he was MARSA with the tanker. I did not have the tanker and told him I had his request. I put a 5 NM halo around Aircraft Z as Aircraft Z and Aircraft Y were diverging. As soon as I had 5NM I climbed Aircraft Z and descended Aircraft Y. I had already QU'ed [route check] Aircraft Y and it was showing right on course up AR207NE. I noticed Aircraft Y turning left into Aircraft Z. I turned Aircraft Y 30 degrees right; then I turned Aircraft Z 30 degrees left. I then called traffic to both aircraft one at a time. It appeared to show about 4-4.5NM at the same altitude at FL320 at the closest. After getting separation; I asked Aircraft Y why he was turning. He told me they filed for a delay at a fix and was cleared as filed. My flight plan did not show any delay except a request for one in the remarks section. When I told him I showed a request in my flight plan; he acknowledged that it was in his remarks section as well. He said; 'My bad' and that he should have at least announced that he was going to make a turn up ahead. The pilot thought he was cleared to enter a delay. Whether he was or not; I do not know; but if he was; it wasn't communicated up the chain and the delay wasn't entered into the flight plan. If he wasn't; it was a pilot deviation.Controllers need to make sure if they clear for a delay; they either forward the information or enter the delay in the flight plan if that was the issue. Military tanker pilots need better training to make sure they have proper clearances and understand the difference between a clearance and a remark.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.