Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 240; Flight Crew Total 20100; Flight Crew Type 12000
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Company Policy
Yesterday while flying to EWR there were THREE of us with similar call signs...all [my airline]. The controllers were having a tough time keeping us straight and spent a lot of time correcting themselves. During descent; one controller kept telling us to level off at 10;000 feet when we were already at 8;400 and descending to 8;000. We were SURE we'd busted an altitude. We were in heavy rain and IMC; immediately stopped the descent until we could verify OUR clearance. After we queried the controller she apologized several times that she'd mixed up the call signs; but it WASN'T HER FAULT! When controllers are so busy this is setting us up for a MAJOR ACCIDENT or violation!
B737 Captain reported there were three company aircraft on the same frequency with similar call signs; which caused problems for both the flights and ATC.