Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 220; Flight Crew Total 24000; Flight Crew Type 11000
Communication Breakdown; Confusion
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Other / Unknown; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Company Policy; Human Factors
A similar call sign on the same frequency can be a potential for taking a wrong clearance; but when there are three similar call signs the potential just escalates for all involved. This was the case we encountered last week on departure. There was a Flight XA; Flight WA and we were Flight XWA. All our departures were around [the same time]. We all contacted Ground Control about the same time. While the Ground Controller gave instructions at a rapid pace to expedite operations; the similar call signs were mistakenly answered by the wrong airplane at various times. Even the Controller got confused at one point. Fortunately; the mistakenly answered call signs were quickly recognized and did not cause any clearance deviations.
B767 Captain describes and evening departure from a large hub airport with three of his company's aircraft having similar sounding call signs and the miscommunications that ensue.