AN AIRLINE B727 FLC HAD A PROB WITH A RWY ASSIGNMENT AND INTRAFAC COM AND; IN THE OPINION OF A PAX; THE PROX OF A CESSNA C150.

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A SCHEDULED ACR B727 FLT WAS INBOUND TO RICHMOND (RIC) FROM ATLANTA (ATL) WITH THE FO FLYING. THE FLT WAS ISSUED A VISUAL APCH CLRNC FROM APCH CTL TO RWY 20; EVEN THOUGH FLC HAD REQUESTED A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 16. APCH CTL SAID THERE WAS 'TFC; A CESSNA AT YOUR 10 O'CLOCK POS; THAT HAS YOU IN SIGHT; SHOULD BE NO FACTOR.' CAPT REAFFIRMED THE REQUEST FOR A VISUAL RWY 16 AND WAS CLRED FOR THAT. FLT THEN HANDED OFF TO RIC TWR AND TWR CLRED FLT; AGAIN; TO LAND ON RWY 20. CAPT IDENTED THE TFC ON TCASII; CAPT RECONFIRMED REQUEST FOR RWY 16 AND WAS ISSUED A LNDG CLRNC ON RWY 16. ON R DOWNWIND LEG TO RWY 16; THE SO; THEN THE CAPT; SIGHTED THE CESSNA VISUALLY AT OUR 11:30 O'CLOCK POS; AT ABOUT 2900 FT (900 FT ABOVE OUR ALT OF 2000 FT) AND 4.5 MI. OUR FLT CONTINUED DOWNWIND; WITH CESSNA IN SIGHT TO WITHIN 2.5 MI HORIZLY OF THE CESSNA; THEN TURNED BASE LEG WHILE DSNDING. OUR FLT WAS THEN CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 16. FLT LANDED NORMALLY. WHILE DEPLANING; A NERVOUS PAX ASKED THE CAPT 'WAS IT YOU THAT TOOK THE EVASIVE MANEUVER.' CAPT STATED 'THERE WAS NO EVASIVE MANEUVER; ONLY THE EXECUTION OF A NORMAL TFC PATTERN IN A TURBOJET ACFT.' APPARENTLY THE PAX FELT THE CESSNA WAS TOO CLOSE TO OUR FLT. HE DID NOT KNOW THE PERTINENT FACTS SUCH AS BOTH ACFT HAD EACH OTHER IN SIGHT NOR THE VERT AND HORIZ SEPARATION BTWN THE ACFT. SAFETY COMMENT: APCH CTL WAS NOT PAYING CLSOE ATTN TO OUR FLT'S REQUEST FOR RWY 16; AND FURTHER; MUST NOT HAVE ADVISED TWR CTL OF OUR VISUAL CLRNC TO RWY 16 (WHEN HE FINALLY DID ISSUE THAT CLRNC). THIS NECESSITATED 2 ADDITIONAL UNNECESSARY AND DISTRACTING REQUESTS; AND SUBSEQUENT CLRNC ISSUANCES FOR WHAT WAS THE 'MOST FAVORABLE RWY.' AVOIDANCE OF UNNECESSARY DISTRACTIONS ALLOW MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FLC TO SCAN FOR VISUAL TFC AND CORRELATE THE TFC WITH TCASII TARGETS.