That controller was terrible - Asking for the pilot to convert 52,000kg to pounds while dealing with smoke in cabin!! Do it yourself! Asking him to 'CLIMB' after the pilot telling him he wants to stay at 4000ft, Then asking him (while all set up and briefed for 19C) to change the approach!! Giving him stupid info like light rain at field and you'll join localiser at xxxxxxx. You could tell the pilot was getting a bit pissed off and rightly so. I think he was trying too much to be a hero. The best part was when he asked the pilot if he "wanted to put the gear down to burn off fuel".. Let the f**king captain fly the plane!
This guy needs to go back to ATC school and learn how to deal with emergencies!
Just curious, are you a controller?
You are correct, asking for the aircraft to convert to pounds was probably unnecessary (in my opinion). I don't know of any reason why they would need the FR in pounds directly from the pilot considering the 7110.65 requires fuel remaining in time. Granted, I don't know what the local SOP is but they probably could have done a conversion themselves later.
As for asking him to climb, obviously there was a reason he was asking for it and just from the recording, I personally didn't hear why but he wouldn't just randomly ask if he can climb. No harm in asking and if the pilot turns it down, so be it.
Regarding all the approach information...
1. If you listen to the recording, the Tower clearly told approach new information that they were unaware of originally that the aircraft did actually need to know - the ARFF could not make it onto 19C so if they were going to require immediate assistance on the runway, it would not be possible for the runway that Austrian 94 desired. But advising the aircraft of that was absolutely the right thing to do.
2. Light rain at the field is hardly stupid info. Any change in weather on an aircraft's route of flight is need-to-know information. And, while I obvisouly wasn't there, my assumption as to why the controller was giving all the extra approach information was because this was a foreign carrier declaring an emergency and diverting to an airport that wouldn't have been a normal planned alternate for them. The controller is trying to be helpful by making sure they have all the info they would need to get setup for an unplanned approach. I suppose you could debate whether or not some of the info was too much, but I never interpreted the pilot's words or tone as "getting pissed."
I will say that asking about "putting the gear down to burn off fuel" was something I haven't heard before, but then again, I'm not an approach controller, so what the hell do I know?
A controller's duty in an emergency is to obtain enough information from the aircraft to provide whatever assistance they will need. I'd say this controller did that.