Narrative:

We were taxiing out for departure in heavy snow. We were holding short of the ILS critical area. The captain did his contamination check and we were cleared to taxi to the hold short line of [the] runway. Due to longer than anticipated takeoff clearance; the captain had to do another contamination check; which we failed. I contacted tower and explained we had to return to the gate to get deiced again. The tower asked us to call ground. We contacted ground and made our request to return to the gate. Due to the low visibility; the ground controller did not have us visually and asked our position. I told them we were 'holding short of [the] runway on taxiway alpha.' he asked if we were; 'holding short of the ILS critical area' and I said; 'no; we were holding short at the runway.' when I realized we were waiting to taxi for an aircraft about to land; I cued the ground controller and again stated we were inside of the ILS critical area. He acknowledged our position and a (other carrier) aircraft landed. We were then given clearance to taxi on [the] runway to A5; and then take taxiway a back to the ramp. On the taxi in; (other carrier) complained they lost the ILS signal; and ground controller said they were looking into it. At that point; I replied that we were in the ILS critical area during their approach and the ground controller said that was probably it.preventative measures; I would have raised further concern with the ground controller of our position and explained we shouldn't be there while another aircraft conducts a CAT III approach or used the second radio to convey my concern with the tower controller. The controllers should keep the critical area protected during CAT III approaches.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 flight crew reported being cleared to taxi past the ILS critical area hold bars as an air carrier was performing a CATIII approach.

Narrative: We were taxiing out for departure in heavy snow. We were holding short of the ILS critical area. The Captain did his contamination check and we were cleared to taxi to the hold short line of [the] Runway. Due to longer than anticipated takeoff clearance; the Captain had to do another contamination check; which we failed. I contacted Tower and explained we had to return to the gate to get deiced again. The Tower asked us to call Ground. We contacted Ground and made our request to return to the gate. Due to the low visibility; the Ground Controller did not have us visually and asked our position. I told them we were 'holding short of [the] Runway on taxiway Alpha.' He asked if we were; 'holding short of the ILS critical area' and I said; 'No; we were holding short at the runway.' When I realized we were waiting to taxi for an aircraft about to land; I cued the Ground Controller and again stated we were inside of the ILS critical area. He acknowledged our position and a (other carrier) aircraft landed. We were then given clearance to taxi on [the] Runway to A5; and then take Taxiway A back to the ramp. On the taxi in; (other carrier) complained they lost the ILS signal; and Ground Controller said they were looking into it. At that point; I replied that we were in the ILS critical area during their approach and the Ground Controller said that was probably it.Preventative Measures; I would have raised further concern with the Ground Controller of our position and explained we shouldn't be there while another aircraft conducts a CAT III Approach or used the second radio to convey my concern with the Tower Controller. The Controllers should keep the critical area protected during CAT III Approaches.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.