Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airport; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure; Human Factors
When being cleared to taxi to our gate; the ground controller said 'right on Zulu right on alpha taxi into gate at November; give way to the 88.' We interpreted this to mean give way at November. The controller meant give way at Zulu. The controller said; 'I said give way to the 88'. I answered giving way. The pilot of the 88 then said; let them go ahead. The controller agreed and we continued to our gate.The clearance did not seem confusing but unfortunately we misunderstood the instructions. The controller was not clear about where we were to give way. There were several 88s within sight. I will ask the controller where to give way when they give ambiguous instructions.
A pilot taxiing to the gate reported LGA Ground taxi clearance included giving way to a MD-88 at 'N' which he thought happened but the controller meant a different MD-88 at Taxiway 'Z.'