Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Situational Awareness; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Equipment Issue; Inflight Event / Encounter Unstabilized Approach
General None Reported / Taken
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
Inbound to ZZZZ on ZZZZZ Star.  Taken off STAR early and cleared direct to ZZZZ1 VOR.  We were instantly 1;800 feet above the path.  Proactively used speed brakes and planned to slow and extend flaps when below 20;000 feet; but were then told to keep speed at 250 KTS.  Lowered landing gear shortly after passing ZZZZ1 to get back on profile.  Was able to regain the VNAV path just prior to ZZZZZ1 and at Vref +10 per procedure.  Flaps were at 25. Frequency was very busy and sky hazy. Very late hand off to Tower.  Localizer did not correctly ID until just prior to FAF.  FO was very busy with frequency changes; configuration changes and checklist.  Tower did not clear us to land; but instructed us to continue as an aircraft was in position on our Runway; XXR. Another aircraft was holding short of XXR waiting to cross.  At 1;000 feet I was at approach speed and called 'stable;' but was distracted by no landing clearance and aircraft on runway.  Aircraft in position was cleared for immediate takeoff; we were cleared to land; and other aircraft was given clearance to cross XXR.  Departing aircraft was slow to accelerate.  Passing 500 feet FO made 'stable' call.  Shortly after we received an aural alert indicating we did not have landing flaps selected.  Flaps indicator showed flaps at 25 degrees verses the planned and briefed of 30 degrees.  I realized I had not asked for flaps 30 and was now below 400 feet. Elected not to make a configuration change to 30 degrees below 1;000 feet per procedure.  Hesitant to go-around per procedure because I wasn't sure if the crossing aircraft had not just departed the inboard parallel Runway XXL; and the late departing XXR aircraft had just rotated.  With the very hazy sky I was concerned about a conflict and /or overtaking the other aircraft during the go-around to increase speed to Vref+10 and land with flaps 25. Landing and rollout were normal.Despite adequate and recent experience into ZZZZ; these particular controllers were hard to understand.  FO had to ask for clarification a few times in the last 1;500 feet FAF. FO had just returned from 7 months of leave; was called out on reserve; and had only flown once earlier; and 4 times in the last 7 months.  I briefed the arrival and approach thoroughly and early; but it was a Max effort with the direct clearance.  I believe he got distracted from completing the checklist when the localizer did not ID until just before the FAF.  I was distracted from not calling for final flaps with the aircraft on the runway and the hazy conditions; and the late localizer ID.Add to the note of being at Vref +10 by the ZZZZZ1 fix; to be at final landing flaps. This may have helped me if I had a goal to complete that by the fix.
Air carrier Captain reported an unstable approach and cited it was difficult to understand the controllers at this foreign location.