B737-700
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 124; Flight Crew Type 9000
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure
While being vectored for the visual approach to 26R in ATL; the Approach Controller pointed out traffic 'one moving to two o'clock'. We called the traffic and the runway in sight. The Approach Controller then issued the instruction to 'follow the traffic; cleared the visual approach to 26R; maintain 170 knots to AJAAY.' When it became apparent that our traffic was less than 2.5 miles from the traffic in front of him and right at 2.5 miles from us; we elected to slow to 160 knots. Before handing us off to Tower; Approach asked us our speed and instructed us to speed back up. Upon switching to the Tower frequency the aircraft in front of us was asked to slow to approach speed and the aircraft in front of them was asked for minimum time on the runway. We began slowing again; as we were passing AJAAY; and the aircraft in front of us cleared the runway as we were passing through 500 feet AGL. We deviated from our assigned speed in order to safely accomplish our other instruction to follow the traffic in front of us. We didn't inform ATC of this as the frequency was too busy.
We were asked to call traffic on a base leg in sight when we were about 15 miles out on approach to Runway 26R. We called traffic in sight and were cleared to follow the traffic to 26R and maintain 170 knots to AJAAY. It appeared to me that the traffic was going to be too close to us when they joined final so I began reducing speed early. I estimated the projected spacing to be about two miles between us when the traffic joined if speed was not reduced. The frequency seemed busy so we did not advise ATC of the speed reduction. ATC then noticed our speed reduction and we told them we reduced early to avoid a separation issue. He replied that the separation was fine and instructed us to speed back up to 170 knots. We complied and landed with no further incident. The spacing between us appeared to be approximately 2.5 miles when the traffic touched down.
Pilots reported of being told to keep speed up on final. Pilots realized they were getting to close to traffic they were following and slowed. Approach told them to increase speed and go to tower. On tower frequency they heard minimal time on runway for traffic that just landed and the aircraft they were following was told to slow.