Date: 202007
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: MRI.Tower, AK
Aircraft: Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Flight plan: VFR
Flight phase: Initial Climb
Airspace: Class C ANC
ATC / advisory: Tower MRI
Second aircraft: Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Other / Unknown
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Situational Awareness; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Training / Qualification
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Contributing factors: Airspace Structure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Airspace Structure

Narrative: ANC coordinated the departure of Aircraft Y from Runway 33 (ANC) to Runway 6 (EDF) which was approved.  Then they requested a point out through MRI.  GC/CIC was combined and the Controller unabled the transition through MRI's Class D.  Aircraft X was cleared for takeoff with the deviation.  40 seconds later; A11 TRACON called us to give us a red light in order for Aircraft Y to transition through the FAR Part 93 corridor inside the MRI Class D.  GC/CIC told them behind the guy that was airborne and A11 TRACON argued and said no he's coming into your airspace.  GC/CIC told them unable red light.  A11 TRACON Controller hung up without acknowledging.  There was an aircraft on visual approach to ANC Runway 33 and Aircraft Y was not rolling.  Aircraft X kept the Part 93 altitude deviation and flew through the corridor at 010.  GC/CIC called back and told them behind the 010 target mid-channel; red light.  A11 TRACON did not acknowledge and hung up the line.  A11 TRACON refused to call us back and release the FAR 93 corridor back to us after Aircraft Y landed and there were no other pertinent IFR arrivals on the radar for 64 miles out.  We are not allowed to call and remind them so a manager had to call their manager and remind them that they can't leave us 'penalty red light' because they are mad at us.  (Because it is still our airspace when we are open.)The intention of this situation was that Aircraft Y wanted to depart ANC Runway 33 then intercept the EDF Runway 6 final instead of flying an extra 4 minutes of flight time to depart and loop back around to fly the 10 mile final into EDF.  It normally would not be an issue; except ANC doesn't give a heads up until they're about clear Aircraft Y.  The majority of our aircraft are single engine fixed-wings flown by student pilots; bush pilots; and weekend pilots.  Also of note is the fact that the majority of these aircraft don't have the performance characteristics to make the climb to 020 at a moment's notice to avoid the Far Part 93 corridor so they are forced to descend to 006 or below and fly across the inlet.  If they lose their only engine; they will land in the water and most likely become hypothermic during the swim to one of the shores and/or be swept out to sea with the very strong current.  Our pilots should not be forced to change their flight paths because Aircraft Y wants to yank and bank it from Tower to Tower for their convenience.This FAR 93 corridor has been an ongoing issue for the entire time that I have worked at MRI and previously mitigated through reports multiple times.  Previous guidance and agreed upon steps from prior mitigations is that this is our airspace; A11 TRACON is not allowed to take the airspace from us and must ask; pilots already given the altitude deviation and cleared for takeoff will retain the deviation; MRI must sterilize the airspace or resolve the conflicts prior to releasing the airspace.  A11 TRACON has stated on paper that they will follow this guidance; however their actions speak louder than their words.  They have told us that by answering the landline; we are acknowledging the red light and there is a specific crew that denies the altitude deviation on an airborne aircraft when they give us a red light.  We have the right to approve or deny the use or release of our airspace when we are open.  This continued practice is unsafe and will cause a collision over a notoriously busy chunk of terminal airspace in close proximity with terminal airports.Not sure if it's pertinent: A11 TRACON and ANC are still working the COVID 5/5 schedules.  MRI has reintegrated the crews; but does not have the staffing to support working our normal operations.  MRI is still operating winter hours of 0700-2200 local when normally we would be operating 0700-0000 local.  LOA change needs to happen.  The language is ambiguous and vague.  We do not release the airspace to EDF just because they ask for it and we are also required to sterilizethat chunk of airspace prior to its release.  The LOA language needs to be updated to reflect that A11 TRACON is APREQ-ing the airspace for an IFR arrival and allow us enough time to sterilize it.  The lack of safety culture and expectation bias at A11 TRACON is going to continue to create unsafe situations and potentially a future collision.  Also; an airspace study should be conducted.  This is very congested terminal airspace and the Class C should probably be extended to be a full circle around ANC.  This would prevent 90% of the other issues that A11 TRACON complains about reference the VFR aircraft flying in/out of LHD; MRI; and surrounding uncontrolled aerodromes.




Synopsis: MRI Tower Controller reported LOA problems with the overlying A11 TRACON.