A319
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 217.48; Flight Crew Total 3011.75; Flight Crew Type 3011.75
Situational Awareness; 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
Human Factors
We were taxiing via instructions provided by Ground Control. The last instructions from Ground cleared us Taxiway Bravo to Victor and to give way and follow 1st 737. The 737 turned right at Victor 4 and left on November. At that time; an [air carrier] airplane on November short of Victor 4 declared a medical issue with a passenger. Turning onto Victor; we were told to switch to Tower frequency. Once [air carrier] declared the medical issue; Tower directed all aircraft on Victor taxiway to stop. We stopped on Victor short of Victor 4. Tower directed [air carrier] to continue taxi via November to a runway to back taxi. Tower then directed the first plane on Victor to give way to [air carrier] and then turn right to join November. We were the only plane who could follow those instructions and I repeated the instructions to include the right on Victor 4 to join November and our call sign to Tower. He responded with what sounded like a [call sign] but Tower was rapidly communicating and was not using call signs on several of his taxi instruction. Instead of call signs; he was using position instruction and several aircraft were confused after the call for everyone on Taxiway Victor to stop. Later; Tower asked how we made it on to November Taxiway. I responded we were the aircraft you instructed to follow [air carrier] and I read clearance back. No other responses from Tower were said to us about taxi for the rest of the taxi. The weather was causing many issues and there were a lot of planes taxiing. The Tower needed to use call signs instead of taxiway locations as many people were confused and it created a lot of additional comm as people had to query Tower. Tower also asked several aircraft what their taxi instructions were from Ground and it seemed like there was a loss of situational awareness on what clearances were given to aircraft and where aircraft were on the taxiway.
An air carrier pilot reported the Tower was issuing confusing non standard phraseology to taxiing aircraft causing confusion.