Medium Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Procedure; Human Factors
Controller seemed 'busier' than usual. His instructions from original contact to frequency change were contradictory and out of the ordinary. Upon check in we were assigned to descend via the STOCR 1 landing 23; but maintain 250 knots. Then speed up to 280 KTS. Then 'switch to runway 18R; but maybe we will give you 23 back again'. Then given a heading out of POORE of 290 degrees then changed to 300 degrees. All this while crew was verifying new arrival fixes and altitudes; briefing new approach and completing descent checklist through 10;000. Aircraft continued to descend via the new arrival to the new hard altitude while we were on vectors. No level off altitude was ever given. We came close to departing aircraft out of CLT; however no RA or TA was received.Controller issued vectors off of STOCR 1 Arrival and failed to give new altitude instructions. Crew failed to ask for one. Both ATC and crew realized we were too low for departing aircraft (8;500 ft) so ATC issued a climb to 9000 feet.
Air carrier Captain reported receiving excessive and contradictory clearances from ATC while descending into CLT on the STOCR 1 Arrival.