Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Procedure
We were on our descent into Seattle on the Olympia arrival with a clearance to descend via the arrival. A few minutes later we were taken off the arrival and given 'proceed direct ARVAD' by Approach Control without any new altitude restriction. I queried Approach Control that we were not given a new altitude when taken off the arrival and he said; 'None was required since ARVAD has 12;000 posted on the STAR.' SHOULD WE NOT HAVE BEEN GIVEN A NEW ALTITUDE CROSSING RESTRICTION SINCE WE WERE TAKEN OFF THE ARRIVAL? Again; when I asked this of ATC they said 'no; as long as ARVAD had an altitude associated with it.' He apparently expected me to cross at 12;000 without being told to do so without any other clarification or communication after being removed from the STAR. We then verified to him that we are now cleared to descent to cross ARVAD at 12;000 FT. All else was normal. I write this in order to receive feed back and clarification for standardization and safety sake.
Air carrier arrival into SEA experienced confusion with regard to the published altitude restrictions on the STAR and ATC's expectations regarding altitudes after issuing vectors.