Narrative:

The airport arrival rate at las was decided to be 45 degrees based on 2 airlines telling the TRACON that their aircraft would land on runway 1R (6000 ft) based on northwest wind. Our big arrival push is always at XA00. When we started our push; we had aircraft taking runway 1R with no problems. After 20 mins or so; we had aircraft refusing to land on runway 1R; which called for a GS and put ZLA into holding (all fixes). When the final controller is busy; he/she can't play 20 questions with every aircraft and safely move air traffic. I believe the situation would've gotten out of control very fast if not for the ground stop and holding. Airlines want the airport arrival rate high; then don't want to hold when things go bad. We stayed very busy for 2 hours and it didn't have to be complicated. As a traffic management coordinator; I can only base an airport arrival rate on information at hand and what aircraft tell me what they will or won't do. Changing the game plan in the middle of an arrival rush is bad for everyone and can be dangerous.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: L30 TFC MGMNT COORDINATOR EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION REGARDING THE DIFFERENCES BTWN COMPANY COMMITMENTS AND PLT PREFERENCES IN RWY ACCEPTANCE PRACTICES.

Narrative: THE ARPT ARR RATE AT LAS WAS DECIDED TO BE 45 DEGS BASED ON 2 AIRLINES TELLING THE TRACON THAT THEIR ACFT WOULD LAND ON RWY 1R (6000 FT) BASED ON NW WIND. OUR BIG ARR PUSH IS ALWAYS AT XA00. WHEN WE STARTED OUR PUSH; WE HAD ACFT TAKING RWY 1R WITH NO PROBS. AFTER 20 MINS OR SO; WE HAD ACFT REFUSING TO LAND ON RWY 1R; WHICH CALLED FOR A GS AND PUT ZLA INTO HOLDING (ALL FIXES). WHEN THE FINAL CTLR IS BUSY; HE/SHE CAN'T PLAY 20 QUESTIONS WITH EVERY ACFT AND SAFELY MOVE AIR TFC. I BELIEVE THE SITUATION WOULD'VE GOTTEN OUT OF CTL VERY FAST IF NOT FOR THE GND STOP AND HOLDING. AIRLINES WANT THE ARPT ARR RATE HIGH; THEN DON'T WANT TO HOLD WHEN THINGS GO BAD. WE STAYED VERY BUSY FOR 2 HRS AND IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE COMPLICATED. AS A TFC MGMNT COORDINATOR; I CAN ONLY BASE AN ARPT ARR RATE ON INFO AT HAND AND WHAT ACFT TELL ME WHAT THEY WILL OR WON'T DO. CHANGING THE GAME PLAN IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ARR RUSH IS BAD FOR EVERYONE AND CAN BE DANGEROUS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.