B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 210; Flight Crew Total 14100; Flight Crew Type 1200
Situational Awareness; Distraction; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Procedure; Human Factors
Prior to flight; we were reviewing the PDC which we got normally over ACARS. I noticed that the PILOT ALERT/REVISED SEGMENT said NONE and that the FILED ROUTE segment had a normal looking abbreviation of our route clearance. I happened to check the route in the FMC (which had been automatically up loaded) and noted that it was different from what was shown in the PDC. Upon further investigation; it turned out that the PDC showed '…ZIRKL MCK LNK DSM EVOTE NELLS *** [Destination]'. The FMC and our SABRE flight plan; however; showed …ZIRKL DSM EVOTE NELLS and the rest of the route to destination. We checked with Clearance Delivery and he showed the same thing as the PDC. I called the dispatcher and he said that we had filed what was on the SABRE plan; which did not include the two fixes MCK and LNK. He said he would refile and check with the ATC coordinator and let me know what he found. I stated that I was more interested in resolving the issue for our flight and getting out than researching the problem right now; and he agreed to try to make that happen. We discussed the fact that both routes were very similar fuel wise; so the difference was negligible. We then called Clearance Delivery and negotiated the route that was on SABRE. The Clearance Delivery guy stated that he initially had trouble getting the route to show ZIRKL DSM. He said that ZIRKL MCK LNK DSM was what was filed by the company.The dispatcher said he would make an input to the SABRE people to see what happened. I am concerned that what ATC thought was our filed route was not what we had filed. If the route is changed; it needs to show up in the PILOT ALERT/REVISED SEGMENT part of the PDC.Either what SABRE sent to the ATC computers was not what SABRE should have sent (i.e.; what was on the Dispatcher's screen and what was on my flight plan); or ATC changed the route without telling anyone. Both are problematic. Also turns out we did not file an arrival. When we asked Center about that; they said 'we show you filed Slate Run and the Williamsport Three arrival.'  This is a second; separate change to our flight plan that it was impossible to catch on the PDC due to the 'NELLS***[Destination]' way it was shown on the PDC. Note that in the event of Lost Comm; even after correcting the departure routing; we would not have flown the ATC expected arrival; since we would have thought (sure; it is weird; but it's what we filed; right?) we should fly the filed direct routing.
The flight crew of a B737 noted a discrepancy between their flight planned/PDC cleared route and the route automatically downloaded to their FMC.