Narrative:

Merida center called with a request from lifeguard aircraft to be rerted frish A758 pie then direct tpa. The time they called was too close to the frish estimate that I told the merida controller 'unable, leave the aircraft on the original route.' they said 'ok.' ZMA called to tell us they got a message from new york commercial radio about the lifeguard with an estimate over epson but weren't showing a route over epson. I called the merida controller to ask what route was given and they said A758 pie-tpa. I told them that I said not to give the route. The supervisor from merida center called to say it was controller error. These kinds of mistakes are always happening with merida center. We have given merida center crossing restrs to give to aircraft, but they don't give them. They try to pass flight plans on aircraft with less than 15 mins separation and get upset when we don't approve it. It is becoming more and more difficult to work with or trust these controllers. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that this is still a problem with merida center and that controllers have to be very careful when dealing with them. Facility management is aware of problems, but because it is a different country, cannot seem to change them or improve their proficiency. They do have some sort of training program between to the 2 facilities whereby controllers from merida visit ZHU, but it hasn't made much difference. Reporter said that controllers are beginning to report these problems on a continuing basis to their supervisor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ADJACENT FOREIGN ATC FACILITY COORDINATES FOR A RERTE ON ACFT WHICH IS DISAPPROVED BY CTLR. FACILITY CLRS ACFT ON RERTE ANYWAY.

Narrative: MERIDA CTR CALLED WITH A REQUEST FROM LIFEGUARD ACFT TO BE RERTED FRISH A758 PIE THEN DIRECT TPA. THE TIME THEY CALLED WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE FRISH ESTIMATE THAT I TOLD THE MERIDA CTLR 'UNABLE, LEAVE THE ACFT ON THE ORIGINAL RTE.' THEY SAID 'OK.' ZMA CALLED TO TELL US THEY GOT A MESSAGE FROM NEW YORK COMMERCIAL RADIO ABOUT THE LIFEGUARD WITH AN ESTIMATE OVER EPSON BUT WEREN'T SHOWING A RTE OVER EPSON. I CALLED THE MERIDA CTLR TO ASK WHAT RTE WAS GIVEN AND THEY SAID A758 PIE-TPA. I TOLD THEM THAT I SAID NOT TO GIVE THE RTE. THE SUPVR FROM MERIDA CTR CALLED TO SAY IT WAS CTLR ERROR. THESE KINDS OF MISTAKES ARE ALWAYS HAPPENING WITH MERIDA CTR. WE HAVE GIVEN MERIDA CTR XING RESTRS TO GIVE TO ACFT, BUT THEY DON'T GIVE THEM. THEY TRY TO PASS FLT PLANS ON ACFT WITH LESS THAN 15 MINS SEPARATION AND GET UPSET WHEN WE DON'T APPROVE IT. IT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH OR TRUST THESE CTLRS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THIS IS STILL A PROB WITH MERIDA CTR AND THAT CTLRS HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN DEALING WITH THEM. FACILITY MGMNT IS AWARE OF PROBS, BUT BECAUSE IT IS A DIFFERENT COUNTRY, CANNOT SEEM TO CHANGE THEM OR IMPROVE THEIR PROFICIENCY. THEY DO HAVE SOME SORT OF TRAINING PROGRAM BTWN TO THE 2 FACILITIES WHEREBY CTLRS FROM MERIDA VISIT ZHU, BUT IT HASN'T MADE MUCH DIFFERENCE. RPTR SAID THAT CTLRS ARE BEGINNING TO RPT THESE PROBS ON A CONTINUING BASIS TO THEIR SUPVR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.