B737-900
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Incursion Taxiway
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure; Airport
We were pulling up to [Gate] XX when ground cleared us to 'follow company just out of [Gate] XX to [Runway] XXR.' As there was a company jet that just left [Gate] XX right ahead of us; I proceeded onto the taxiway. As I turned the corner; another company jet crossed in front of us fast from right to left; and turned north on Taxiway XX. I had to hit my brakes to avoid them. Upon questioning Ground; we were told that that was the company we were supposed to follow.They were behind us! We could not have seen them at any point before they cut us off. We were never told they were there. I believe Ground got confused as to who was number one at [Gate] XX. This kind of thing happens all the time. Most pilots would have prudently stayed behind and followed us and informed Ground that they were number two at [Gate] XX. The Captain of Aircraft Y decided to treat it like a competition to the runway and sped up and cut the corner to get in front of us. He created an unsafe situation out of a non-event. See narrative above.Ground should not use vague descriptions of traffic if they indeed wanted us to follow someone we couldn't see. The Captain on Aircraft Y should have used better judgment and caution.
B737-900 Captain reported having to suddenly brake to avoid collision with an aircraft overtaking them from behind and turning in front of them.