B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 152; Flight Crew Type 1846
Time Pressure; Distraction
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Weather; Human Factors; Procedure
We flew the arrival to an ILS XXL. We briefed and discussed the potential for strong tailwinds on the STAR; Approach; and landing. Surface winds on ATIS were 020/11G20. Winds at altitude on arrival were from northeast from 100kts down to 46kts at about 3000 feet. We had light to moderate turbulence during arrival until about 3000 feet when winds dropped off to about 10-20 knots from NE. We were cleared ILS XXL. When switched to final controller we accepted a visual to XXL and told to maintain 180kts to ZZZZZ. We flew the ILS on autopilot. Approaching ZZZZZ; we were told to slow to final approach airspeed as we were gaining on traffic ahead (we knew traffic was ahead but did not know type). We slowed and finished configuration. About 1200 feet; we were told to make an S turn to south to get more spacing on Aircraft Y ahead and that we had 60kts of overtake. I disconnected autopilot and made an S turn south. During turn; I remind on glide path and only deviated from course. I returned aircraft on course and glide path about 700-800 feet. During this time we were also fighting a right quartering tailwind caring between 10-20 kts. We had some speed deviations but they were momentary and corrected by autothrottles. We still had no landing clearance. Aircraft Y appeared to be landing. He was also told to expedite off runway. Controller told him this 3-4 times down final. My FO (First Officer) queried about landing clearance about 500 feet and controller said standby (also during the entire approach controller is launching aircraft off XXR. FO and I both quickly spoke a go-around was going to be likely. I was about to initiate go around about 150 feet when we were given landing clearance. At this point I had a momentary deviation below glideslope but continued to an uneventful landing.
This flight flew the arrival [and] transition to XXL. This was a visual approach. As assigned we were maintaining 180 knots to ZZZZ. Just prior to ZZZZZ; tower instructed us to slow to final approach speed for separation with traffic ahead. At no point had this traffic been pointed out to us prior to this; and we did not have them in sight at the time. We slowed to approach speed; and were then informed we still had a 60 knot overtake of the preceding Aircraft Y. Tower asked us to make a slight s turn to the south; which was executed. Tower was busy instructing the preceding Aircraft Y to keep up speed; and turn off the runway as quickly as possible; along with clearing XXR departures. This resulted in a late landing clearance for us at 150 feet. Approach was stable with only momentary deviations that were corrected in a timely manner. A phone call was made by the flight crew to ask the tower for an explanation. The response from the tower was that the controller did everything correctly. As a flight crew I believe the inadequate separation; although visual; and late communications from the tower were an unnecessary distraction during a critical phase of flight.
B757 flight crew reported ATC provided inadequate traffic spacing on final approach.