Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 180; Flight Crew Total 16000; Flight Crew Type 7850
Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors; Procedure
After transfer of control between Ramp and Ground; we were instructed to taxi Runway XXR via [X;Y;Z;] cross Runway XYR and hold short of Runway XXR. Aircraft Z was taxiing into the ramp at [XY] and behind him Aircraft Y was taxiing on [Y]; neither we nor the Aircraft Y received instructions on who would be following who; and we had a converging course on the intersection of taxiways [X] and [Y]. After the Aircraft Y asked ATC if he was supposed to give way to us; the Controller stated 'I didn't suppose it was going to be a factor.' Both aircraft continued with our taxi without further inconvenience. The situation may have arisen because of the low level volume of operations due to the COVID-19 pandemics creating overconfidence; which might be a factor reducing the level of awareness of all people involved; further increased by multitasking (eg. ATC working as both Ground and Tower) at otherwise very busy airports.
Air carrier pilot reported experiencing a ground conflict and cited reduced level of awareness due to the COVID-19 pandemic.