Narrative:

Arrived in gatwick approximately XA30 ETD, XT30. Crew went for meal at airport hotel. At approximately XC30 a passenger found us in the restaurant and advised business was completed, and wanted to know if we could leave early. We were advised earlier slot most improbable, but to monitor clearance and company frequencys. Approximately XD15 all checklists completed up to ent start. Prefiled flight plans loaded into FMS were for sam departure to snn. At approximately XD45 clearance advised cleared seaford departure, squawk XXXX, slot is in 7 mins. There was no letter or # given or read back on the departure. I reprogrammed SID. I read sfd departure to PF. Tower gave us an amended departure control frequency and cleared us for takeoff. After 3 attempts with departure control, I switched back to gatwick tower. Several other xmissions between tower and other aircraft took place before I broke in and received a working frequency. Checking in with london control we were asked why we were on sfd departure because it is a dangerous procedure. We were given a new heading, altitude and frequency change. The new controller advised they would check into the problem and file a report. We were unaware of any problem until advised by departure control. Our readback was accepted. We were not unduly rushed to meet the new slot time and the FMS SID update requires minimal time/effort. We thought everything was normal until advised of the dangerous procedure. The note on the sfd SID (2300-0600) should have made us question the assigned departure. The lack of a # or letter in the clearance combined with the 'king's english' clearance and american readback, coupled with the 'normal' pace of international operations could have led to assumptions on both sides as to the actual clearance given and that received and read back.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CPR MLG FLT CREW ACCEPTED A SOUTH OR EASTBOUND SID FOR A WESTBOUND FLT PLAN.

Narrative: ARRIVED IN GATWICK APPROX XA30 ETD, XT30. CREW WENT FOR MEAL AT ARPT HOTEL. AT APPROX XC30 A PAX FOUND US IN THE RESTAURANT AND ADVISED BUSINESS WAS COMPLETED, AND WANTED TO KNOW IF WE COULD LEAVE EARLY. WE WERE ADVISED EARLIER SLOT MOST IMPROBABLE, BUT TO MONITOR CLRNC AND COMPANY FREQS. APPROX XD15 ALL CHKLISTS COMPLETED UP TO ENT START. PREFILED FLT PLANS LOADED INTO FMS WERE FOR SAM DEP TO SNN. AT APPROX XD45 CLRNC ADVISED CLRED SEAFORD DEP, SQUAWK XXXX, SLOT IS IN 7 MINS. THERE WAS NO LETTER OR # GIVEN OR READ BACK ON THE DEP. I REPROGRAMMED SID. I READ SFD DEP TO PF. TWR GAVE US AN AMENDED DEP CTL FREQ AND CLRED US FOR TKOF. AFTER 3 ATTEMPTS WITH DEP CTL, I SWITCHED BACK TO GATWICK TWR. SEVERAL OTHER XMISSIONS BTWN TWR AND OTHER ACFT TOOK PLACE BEFORE I BROKE IN AND RECEIVED A WORKING FREQ. CHKING IN WITH LONDON CTL WE WERE ASKED WHY WE WERE ON SFD DEP BECAUSE IT IS A DANGEROUS PROC. WE WERE GIVEN A NEW HDG, ALT AND FREQ CHANGE. THE NEW CTLR ADVISED THEY WOULD CHK INTO THE PROB AND FILE A RPT. WE WERE UNAWARE OF ANY PROB UNTIL ADVISED BY DEP CTL. OUR READBACK WAS ACCEPTED. WE WERE NOT UNDULY RUSHED TO MEET THE NEW SLOT TIME AND THE FMS SID UPDATE REQUIRES MINIMAL TIME/EFFORT. WE THOUGHT EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL UNTIL ADVISED OF THE DANGEROUS PROC. THE NOTE ON THE SFD SID (2300-0600) SHOULD HAVE MADE US QUESTION THE ASSIGNED DEP. THE LACK OF A # OR LETTER IN THE CLRNC COMBINED WITH THE 'KING'S ENGLISH' CLRNC AND AMERICAN READBACK, COUPLED WITH THE 'NORMAL' PACE OF INTL OPS COULD HAVE LED TO ASSUMPTIONS ON BOTH SIDES AS TO THE ACTUAL CLRNC GIVEN AND THAT RECEIVED AND READ BACK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.