B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 90; Flight Crew Total 10425.82; Flight Crew Type 4043.05
Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Time Pressure; Workload
ATC Issue All Types
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors; Procedure
Was initially told to expect ILS 9R about 50 to 60 miles from landing. Then; some 10 minutes later and much too close to landing; [we] were given an almost never used runway and approach. The approach controllers accent and English was very hard to understand requiring her to repeat the new approach clearance 4 times before all three of us agreed that the new runway was now ' LEFT' and not the usual [Runway] 9R; and that the approach was RNAV 9L Zulu. This; in a very radio congested regime; required a lot of time. This added greatly to crew stress and time to rebrief a seldom used approach.
B777 Captain reported ATC increased the flight crew workload and stress level due to a communication breakdown and late runway change.