Large Transport
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction
ATC Issue All Types
Flight Crew Rejected Takeoff
Procedure; Human Factors
SEA Tower has a practice of clearing airplanes to cross Runway 16L on Taxiway 'C' while another airplane is rolling for takeoff on Runway 16L. This practice has resulted in two low speed [Rejected Take Off] RTO's from me in the past 4 years. I rejected both times because I heard the words 'cleared to cross Runway 16L' while I was starting a takeoff roll with multiple airplanes down field holding short of runways 16L and 16C. In both cases; after rejecting the takeoff; I learned that the aircraft had been cleared to cross behind us while we were starting our takeoff roll. In both RTO's; neither one of us heard the words 'on Taxiway C'; instead all we heard was 'cleared to cross Runway 16L'. One reason I think we failed to hear the entire clearance was that we were busy starting a takeoff roll; setting power and making required calls that most likely covered part of the ATC clearance. In my opinion this is an unsafe practice that has the potential for serious consequences should ATC and/or other pilots ever make a mistake and attempt to cross a runway while another airplane is departing the same runway in periods of low visibility. No pilot should ever become accustomed to hearing a clearance for another airplane to cross their departure runway; even if that clearance is to cross the runway behind them. My concern is after repeated acclimation to such a practice; should one day ATC make an error in low visibility and mistakenly clear someone across a runway down field of a departing airplane; that pilots will miss a final opportunity to trap a serious error that could have been prevented had they not grown accustomed to hearing this crossing clearance. My understanding is that in Europe; ATC is not allowed to cross an airplane on a runway in which another airplane is departing; even if that clearance places the crossing airplane behind the departing airplane. This habit SEA Tower has of crossing airplanes behind departing airplanes needs to stop immediately as it has the potential for setting us up for a serious incident/accident one day.
Air Carrier Captain reported rejecting a takeoff on KSEA Runway 16L when Tower was heard clearing another aircraft to cross the same runway. Tower did not advise that the crossing aircraft was behind the aircraft taking off.