Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Confusion; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Procedure; Human Factors
While approaching EWR on the PHILBO3 from the south at 6;000 at the METRO Intersection; NY Controller gave us an instruction to FLY PRESENT HEADING. I responded to that call as it was our call sign. My First Officer was Pilot Flying and followed the instructions as he heard it too.About two minutes later; the Controller asked what procedure we were flying and what our routing was. I informed him of the PRESENT HEADING that he gave us. He said something to the effect that he meant another flight. We were following Aircraft Y. Our call sign was Aircraft X. He then gave us several other vectors and handed us off to another frequency. Nothing else was said about this confusion of aircraft; as it was on the controller and not us.
Air carrier Captain reported a track deviation on the PHILBO3 arrival to EWR as the result of ATC Controller confusing similar call signs and issuing clearance to the wrong aircraft.