A319
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Ground Incursion Runway
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Procedure; Airport; Human Factors
LGA [was] landing Runway 31; departing 4. [We were] holding at B4 hold point on Taxiway B at LGA. An Air Carrier was ahead of us. As soon as the aircraft ahead of us was cleared for takeoff; we were cleared to line up and wait. First Officer acknowledged and I started to taxi into position. There was almost constant talk on the Tower frequency; including instructions for an aircraft to square their base and a reroute for someone. Before we got into position; the Tower Controller told us that we were told to hold position. First Officer told him we never heard the clearance. Controller said he told us four times; an obvious exaggeration; as it had only been about 15 seconds since we were cleared onto the runway. We never heard a 'hold position' clearance and of course never read anything back. We were still on B; but completely across the B4 hold line. Controller then told us to continue to line up and almost immediately cleared us for takeoff. There was no traffic conflict as there were no arrivals to our runway. Tower controllers at LGA try to move a lot of traffic at a small airport. Sometimes they talk almost non-stop; and very rapidly; which was the case in this instance. In the 15 seconds or so that this event took; he cleared an aircraft to takeoff; cleared us to line up and wait; told an airplane on the Expressway Visual to square his base (which from prior experience we knew meant he was going to get us right out); tell another aircraft something about a reroute; and then cleared us for takeoff. He may have thought he told us to hold; but either didn't; or was blocked; or we didn't hear it. Communication only happens when information is sent and received. We never received the message. This controller's workload was very high; as he was trying to do about four different things at once. With more traffic; more different company call signs; some of which don't 'roll off the tongue'; and 4 digit flight numbers; the tendency for controllers and pilots alike is to talk faster; slur words; abbreviate clearances; read backs and call signs; and generally rush to cope with high workloads. Saying something once clearly is much more efficient than repeating it several times quickly.
A319 Captain reports being instructed to line up and wait on Runway 4 at LGA; then almost immediately informed that he was instructed to hold short. Aircraft were landing on Runway 31 so no conflict existed and the reporter is cleared for takeoff.