Narrative:

Approaching runway 12L; #1 for takeoff; in moderate snow and horrible conditions; told tower we needed 2 mins before takeoff. Controller got agitated and told me to turn left and proceed on to runway 6 to make room for air carrier Y to take off. Upon turning 90 degrees left toward runway 6 realized that the runway was drifted shut with approximately 1 ft of snow that I would have become stuck in. So I continued to turn left on the taxiway and told the controller all I needed was about 1 1/2 mins to lower my flaps; do a control check and do before takeoff checklist. The controller then proceeded to dress me down and stated; I quote 'air carrier X; do you think it is fair to delay air carrier Y 2 mins to wait for you to be ready?' he then proceeded to cross me back over runway 12R; make a right and taxi me all the way down to runway 12R. Meanwhile the snow was getting heavier and now I was having to really check my holdover time. All this time I am accumulating snow from my wheels all over my aircraft. So as to not inconvenience air carrier Y for 1 1/2 mins; he delayed me almost 20 mins; caused me to almost go back to the gate for deicing; accumulate snow on my aircraft; and put me in a very dangerous situation. He jeopardized the safety of my flight to get air carrier Y right out. This controller has taken the word 'controller' too literally. He put me in a compromising position; and was the most unprofessional controller I have dealt with in almost 30 yrs of flying.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DEP FROM STL DURING SNOW CONDITIONS REQUESTED TIME AT RWY END BEFORE TKOF. ATC ISSUED DELAYING TAXI CLRNC.

Narrative: APCHING RWY 12L; #1 FOR TKOF; IN MODERATE SNOW AND HORRIBLE CONDITIONS; TOLD TWR WE NEEDED 2 MINS BEFORE TKOF. CTLR GOT AGITATED AND TOLD ME TO TURN L AND PROCEED ON TO RWY 6 TO MAKE ROOM FOR ACR Y TO TAKE OFF. UPON TURNING 90 DEGS L TOWARD RWY 6 REALIZED THAT THE RWY WAS DRIFTED SHUT WITH APPROX 1 FT OF SNOW THAT I WOULD HAVE BECOME STUCK IN. SO I CONTINUED TO TURN L ON THE TXWY AND TOLD THE CTLR ALL I NEEDED WAS ABOUT 1 1/2 MINS TO LOWER MY FLAPS; DO A CTL CHK AND DO BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST. THE CTLR THEN PROCEEDED TO DRESS ME DOWN AND STATED; I QUOTE 'ACR X; DO YOU THINK IT IS FAIR TO DELAY ACR Y 2 MINS TO WAIT FOR YOU TO BE READY?' HE THEN PROCEEDED TO CROSS ME BACK OVER RWY 12R; MAKE A R AND TAXI ME ALL THE WAY DOWN TO RWY 12R. MEANWHILE THE SNOW WAS GETTING HEAVIER AND NOW I WAS HAVING TO REALLY CHK MY HOLDOVER TIME. ALL THIS TIME I AM ACCUMULATING SNOW FROM MY WHEELS ALL OVER MY ACFT. SO AS TO NOT INCONVENIENCE ACR Y FOR 1 1/2 MINS; HE DELAYED ME ALMOST 20 MINS; CAUSED ME TO ALMOST GO BACK TO THE GATE FOR DEICING; ACCUMULATE SNOW ON MY ACFT; AND PUT ME IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. HE JEOPARDIZED THE SAFETY OF MY FLT TO GET ACR Y RIGHT OUT. THIS CTLR HAS TAKEN THE WORD 'CTLR' TOO LITERALLY. HE PUT ME IN A COMPROMISING POS; AND WAS THE MOST UNPROFESSIONAL CTLR I HAVE DEALT WITH IN ALMOST 30 YRS OF FLYING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.