Widebody; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Situational Awareness; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Distraction
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure
While on Phl App (Jiims Arrival) down wind vector; 4000ft; heading 085; approach just forgot about us; we were behind another aircraft; they were vectored in for landing while we stayed on the heading 085.  Flights that were behind us were now vectored in front of us for approach; we stayed heading 085.  I called approach and asked how much longer on this heading; answer 8 mi.  More flights were now vectored in front of us; we stayed heading 085.  I called again about our sequence; PHL approach response; 'Who are you and where are you?'  We had flown out of there airspace; they had no idea who we were.  We were finally turned around over McGuire.  Not a safe approach.  Extra flying time; may be +20 min. and 60 miles.On the Jiims Arrival.  We were talking to Washington Ctr.  They transferred us to Phl Approach; this was also the final controller; next freq. was the tower.  Normally there is two Approach freq.  Phl Approach followed by Phl final than tower. Communication problems with Approach. Keep the two Approach freqs.
Pilot reports of a ATC facility forgetting about the aircraft they were flying and then flying an extra 60 miles to be able to land.