Small Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 85; Flight Crew Total 13000; Flight Crew Type 6000
Situational Awareness; Troubleshooting; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Airport
We were parked at [the FBO]. The weather was VFR. The day before KMSP received 8 to 10 inches of snow. We received our taxi clearance from ATC to taxi to Runway 30L [via] W-5; W; to 30L. No hold short instructions. I was the pilot flying; I taxied on W-5 and just past a snow bank approaching Whiskey taxiway; three 737s were taxiing down whiskey on my left. I stopped. ATC said '[callsign] taxi behind the second 737;' and [my copilot] replied 'we were surprised to see them there'. ATC told the 3rd 737 that he would follow us coming out. It looked like we had approximately 30 feet clearance between their wing tip and our nose. No one; ATC or the 737's; said anything about the closeness of the wing tip and our nose. We were all cleared to taxi via Whiskey it seems. I think the snow banks prohibited all of us to see each other in a timely manner. But we did and we did see and avoid each other.
On the [FBO] ramp I called for taxi and was told to taxi Whiskey to RWY 30L. No hold short or give way [instructions]. I read back Whiskey to 30L and we proceeded to taxi to W6 to join W. As we approached taxiway W on W6 our view of W was obstructed by a large snowbank at the intersection of W and W6. Once we cleared the snowbank we saw two B-737s taxiing south on W. The Captain abruptly stopped and both 737s taxied past. Ground Control then told us to follow the 2nd 737 and the 3rd 737 taxiing south would give way to us. I responded we would follow the 2nd 737 but were surprised to see them on the taxiway. Ground did not respond. I want to emphasize that we were cleared to taxi to RWY 30L and I read back those instructions. Had the snowbank not been obstructing our view of W; we would have questioned Ground about taxi or hold short. It always looks closer than it really is but I estimate 25 feet between wingtip to nose. Plenty of finger pointing to go around but perhaps MSP Ground Crew should not pile snow up so close to a taxiway intersection.
Corporate Jet flight crew reported high snowbanks at MSP made observing other ground traffic and following ATC's taxi instructions difficult. Other taxiing aircraft were in very close proximity.