Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200; Flight Crew Total 15500; Flight Crew Type 5200
Human-Machine Interface; Confusion
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure
While climbing out of DCA on J149 to ROD on our way to our cruise altitude of 380; Washington Center said she showed us routed on Q72 to Hacks. We were on J149. We replied that we were on J149. At that time; I looked down at our PDC which had; indeed; included a revised segment via Q72. During setup; we both missed the revised segment on the PDC. For many years; the PDC format from ACARS had the filed route on top just below the XPDR code; followed by the revised segment; followed by remarks at the bottom.  Recently; the revised segment and filed route were reversed; with the revised segment on top; followed by the filed route. When we both looked at the PDC; we both looked at the filed route; thinking we were looking at the revised segment. Since it agreed with what we had put into the FMGC; we thought we were good to go. Two things contributed to this error. First; the reversal in the PDC format; and second; the high frequency of times where we have revised segments that are exactly as we are filed. This is what we both thought we had on this flight.
While climbing to FL380 on J149; Washington Center queried us if we were on Q72. We replied that we are on J149. At that same moment we looked at our PDC and confirmed that there was a revision and we both missed it. We let the Washington Center know that we had missed the revision. She cleared us directly to HAACK intersection and the rest of flight was uneventful. There was no inflight incursion. In the past month I've noticed a flip flop on PDC format. The revision was on the bottom of PDC and now it is on top. Also for many years since inception ATC publishes a revision but in reality it is a mere copy of original clearance and we get into a habit of now paying too much attention to the revisions. A better way to illustrate revisions might be order. Both of these factors contributed to us missing the revision.
A319 flight crew is informed by ATC that they are off course. It is determined that the PDC clearance via ACARS was misinterpreted and a revised segment was not entered in the FMGC.