Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Situational Awareness; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Distraction
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Chart Or Publication; Procedure
All ground operations were normal. Received a PDC with 'Revised Segment: CUIT3 SAC J32 BAM-'. Remainder of our files route was: KU69M; BPI; KD81W; KP81C; MCW; .... Route check good. On departure we were given lengthy vectors for noise abatement and traffic; and then direct BAM. Leveled off at 370 which became bumpy so between KU69M and BPI. [We] requested 380 (wrong way) to get on top of thin cloud layer. ATC approved climb to 380 and gave us direct BOY; which we assumed was due to traffic as it was not on our flight plan. While en route to BOY were queried ATC as to what to expect after BOY. They responded CZI; (also not on our flight plan). That started a conversation which lead to discovering that ATC had us on a different flight plan (BOY; J32; CZI; J82; FSD; J16; MCW; ?) than our paperwork showed. Our Flt Prog and Flt Plan were consistent with each other and what we were flying; but Captain had a flight plan strip that showed the other routing which ATC was reading to us. The best we could piece together is that both flight plans were identical to BAM and after that they started to diverge slowly. When we called to change altitude we were not very far off of what ATC thought we should have been on; and so they simply cleared us directly to what they thought was our next waypoint. Had we not called to change altitudes we would have eventually been considerably off the course they were expecting; but as it was it hadn't yet become a significant divergence off course. Since our PDC was abbreviated; only showing the first few points which were identical in both routings; it was impossible for us to see the down-line differences in flight plans. If we were to receive a printout of the full route clearance; we would have a double check in place. Having a full route clearance printout on the PDC and having that be the one we reference on a CDU Route Check would confirm that the box agrees with what you have been cleared for; instead of what you filed. In our case the two were apparently different and there was impossible for us to see that was the case.
[Narrative #2 contained no additional information]
A flight crew received a SFO PDC 'Revised Segment: CUIT3 SAC J32 BAM-' with the remainder of the NRT route eastward apparently unchanged. But while in ZLC airspace after a weather deviation; they discovered ATC had them on an entirely different flight routing via airways.