Large Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Procedure
While queued for takeoff; I noticed the windsock indicating the winds were coming from the northeast which was not what was on the ATIS. We were around sixth in line for takeoff for runway 18L. When the first aircraft was cleared for takeoff; I did not hear tower give a wind report. I asked my First Officer if [he] heard a wind report; he did not. Several other aircraft were cleared for takeoff but no wind reports were given. When cleared for takeoff; I asked for a wind check. We were told 300; 15 gust 25. We said that we would need to check our performance. Our performance data confirmed my concern that the tailwinds were out of limits. We informed tower that we needed a different runway because of the tailwinds. Several other aircraft then said that they too would need another runway after our call. We were all given runway 27.It seems like the tower lost track of the winds during the launch. It is possible there were over ten takeoff clearances issued without a wind callout. Tower might consider a process where they are required to call out the winds whenever they are over 10 knots while issuing a takeoff clearance. This way; crews could be alerted to tailwinds that were not on the ATIS. Ten knots of tailwinds are the limits for all [of my company] crews and tower should know that limit due to the high volume of our flights at this airport.
Pilot reports of not hearing the Tower provide winds for aircraft departing. Pilot when next in line asks Tower for winds and the Tower issues the wind. Pilot then advises Tower they cannot accept departure off this runway due to tailwind.