Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness; Workload
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Environment - Non Weather Related; Airspace Structure; Company Policy; Human Factors
I want to point out [that] in ZZZZ when they are landing north; as you can see in the arrival pages for Runway XX; they have the ZZZZZ XX [arrival] that ends in ZZZZZ and the ZZZZZ XY [arrival] that ends in ZZZZZ1. ZZZZZ is the initial approach fix for the ILS DME X XXR and is for non GPS equipped airplanes. ZZZZZ1 is the initial approach fix for the ILS DME Y XXR and is only for GPS equipped airplanes. When they are landing north they always use the ILS DME Y XXR; unless you are not a GPS equipped aircraft. When you are in approach control; ZZZZ will look to the header of the flight plan and based on whether you are a GPS equipped or not they will give you the arrival. Because all our airplanes are GPS equipped they will send you direct to ZZZZZ1. If you have the wrong arrival loaded on the FMC; for example ZZZZZ XX; the ZZZZZ1 fix will not be available in the FMS even if you load the ILS DME Y XXR on the FMS because ZZZZZ and ZZZZZ1 are co-located and the FMS will delete the ZZZZZ1 way point and this is when things will start getting complicated. In other words this could be a set up for Pilots.I brought this issue to attention and [a] few months later after I reported this issue; we had a crew that encountered a close midair because the Flight Dispatcher filed them by the wrong arrival (ZZZZZ XX) and they were instructed to go direct to ZZZZZ1 and by having the wrong arrival they didn't have ZZZZZ1 on the FMS and both pilots got distracted looking for that point and a TCAS RA event maneuver was performed in order to avoid a collision. Last night on my way to ZZZZ; our Dispatcher gave us the wrong arrival (ZZZZZ XX) but I was able to trap the error. I immediately called the Dispatcher to let him know that we had the wrong arrival and at the same time I explained to him why we should be on the other arrival (ZZZZZ XY). My FO told me that on his last trip to ZZZZ; him and his Captain had the same problem. Looks like this problem is happening more often. I always describe Country X as a friendly mine field. During the arrival phase into ZZZZ there is a lot of crossing restrictions; speed restrictions; high terrain and the airspace is always saturated. The frequency gets also saturated most of the time; there is no chance to talk to ATC for clarification. This is why the Dispatcher should give us the most accurate and reliable information and the right arrival in order to operate on the safe side especially in this type of environment. We all should be in the same page but unfortunately we are not. Now that we are getting new flight dispatchers; new captains and first officers that never been in ZZZZ before; we are facing a big challenge and if the wrong arrival is filed by the flight dispatcher those flight crews that are not able to trap those mistakes will be vulnerable for a unlikely event.Unfortunately we are running a less safe and cost effective operation in Continent X and Country X; just for the sake of more efficient scheduling! Nothing should be above running a safe operation; but in my opinion that's exactly what is happening all too often.Thank you for your time and attention on this matter.Some of our flight dispatchers are not familiar with the operation at ZZZZ.All the flight dispatchers should be on the same page and based on the information provided by this report.
Air carrier First Officer reported that flight dispatchers are filing flight plans that use the wrong arrival into an airport; causing problems for flight crews during arrival.