ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION IN FLC RESPONSE TO TCASII RA.

Narrative

TCASII ANNOUNCED 'TFC' AND DISPLAYED DSNDING TARGET WITHIN 1000 FT OF OUR ALT AND ABOUT 10 NM AT OUR 2 O'CLOCK. IT APPEARED TARGET WOULD PASS CLOSE BUT NOT COLLIDE. TCASII ANNOUNCED 'CLB' AND VSI DISPLAYED RED ARC TO ABOUT 4000 FPM UP. CAPT INITIATED RAPID CLB FROM FL330 TO ABOUT FL350. TARGET DSNDED THROUGH FL330 ABOUT 3 NM TO OUR R. CAPT RETURNED TO FL330. THE INSTANT THE CAPT STARTED CLBING; I ADVISED ATC THAT WE WERE MAKING AN EMER CLB IN RESPONSE TO A TCASII RA. CTR WAS VERY SLOW TO RESPOND. CTR FINALLY RESPONDED THAT WE HAD OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC AT OUR ALT. CAPT HAD ALREADY INITIATED DSCNT BACK TO ASSIGNED ALT OF FL330. CTR ALSO STATED THAT TARGET WAS AT LEAST 5 MI FROM US WHICH IS DOUBTED. AFTER RETURN TO FL330; I RPTED TO CTR; BUT THEY DID NOT RESPOND. I MADE SEVERAL MORE CALLS WITH NO RESPONSE. AFTER ABOUT 2 OR MORE MINS CTR RESPONDED AND STATED THAT TARGET MISSED US BY 5 MI. (NOTE: ESTIMATE OF 3 MI MISS BASED ON RADAR AND VISUAL CONTACT.) MY PERCEPTIONS: CTR WAS IRRITATED AND HOSTILE BECAUSE OF OUR RESPONSE TO TCASII EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW IT WAS A TCASII RESPONSE AND NOT AN 'ALT EXCURSION.' CTR DID ADVISE THAT WE HAD ON- COMING TFC AFTER OUR CLB. HOWEVER; CTR OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE OR DIRECTION; AND IN FACT; WAS EXTREMELY SLOW TO RESPOND TO RADIO CALLS. AFTER RETURNING TO FL330; I BELIEVE CTR WAS REFUSING OUR CALLS. RECOMMENDATIONS: THAT PLTS PROMPTLY EXECUTE TCASII RA'S. THAT ATC PERSONNEL BE TRAINED AND INDOCTRINATED TO RESPOND TO THESE SITS IN A POSITIVE AND PROMPT MANNER TO AVOID SECONDARY TFC CONFLICTS.