Air carrier flight crew reported a communication issues with TRACON control during arrival. TRACON w...

Narrative:

We were cleared direct zzzzz and the ZZZZZ3 STAR arrival at ZZZ. Quiet cockpit as we descended; approach control was very busy working two radios and had weather affecting departures. Passing 10;000 feet we got a call on guard asking us to contact approach on a different frequency. The new controller asked why we did not switch frequencies sooner. We replied that we had not heard our call sign previously and the other controller was working two frequencies. Approach control then asked which runway we expected. We told controller xxl. Upon landing we were told to call TRACON. TRACON told me no traffic separation problem had occurred. TRACON asked me if we had been assigned runway xx left or right. I told controller I believe we were told to expect xxl but had not been assigned a runway by the first controller. We landed uneventfully. Cause - ATC was working departures around weather and arrivals on two frequencies. TRACON informed me they were short staffed because of covid. We the aircrew failed to query ATC to get assigned a landing runway which would affect the STAR. Suggestions - increased involvement by ATC and aircrew is needed during manning shortfalls and a rapidly changing environment

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air carrier flight crew reported a communication issues with TRACON Control during arrival. TRACON was working departures and arrivals on two frequencies. ATC informed the crew they were short staffed due to COVID-19.

Narrative: We were cleared direct ZZZZZ and the ZZZZZ3 STAR arrival at ZZZ. Quiet cockpit as we descended; Approach Control was very busy working two radios and had weather affecting departures. Passing 10;000 feet we got a call on guard asking us to contact Approach on a different frequency. The new Controller asked why we did not switch frequencies sooner. We replied that we had not heard our call sign previously and the other Controller was working two frequencies. Approach Control then asked which runway we expected. We told Controller XXL. Upon landing we were told to call TRACON. TRACON told me no traffic separation problem had occurred. TRACON asked me if we had been assigned Runway XX left or right. I told Controller I believe we were told to expect XXL but had not been assigned a runway by the first Controller. We landed uneventfully. Cause - ATC was working departures around weather and arrivals on two frequencies. TRACON informed me they were short staffed because of COVID. We the aircrew failed to query ATC to get assigned a landing runway which would affect the STAR. Suggestions - Increased involvement by ATC and aircrew is needed during manning shortfalls and a rapidly changing environment

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.

Attributes
ACN	1752579
Time
Date	202007
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.TRACON
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Initial Approach Descent
Route In Use	Direct SID ZZZZZ3
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Not Flying First Officer
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Person 2
Function	Pilot Flying Captain
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Clearance

Air carrier flight crew reported a communication issues with TRACON control during arrival. TRACON was working departures and arrivals on two frequencies. ATC informed the crew they were short staffed due to covid-19.