Narrative:

During cruise segment from mem to jfk, we were level at FL330, and began to pick up light turbulence from cloud tops. We requested and received clearance to FL350. Approaching FL350 it was apparent that FL350 was not much different than FL330, and we requested FL370. The controller said to standby, and then came back with a clearance to climb and maintain FL370. Passing FL363, center called and asked what our present altitude was, and upon hearing our reply of FL363, he said that we belonged at FL350, and gave us an immediate right turn of 30 degrees, and a descent to FL350. He issued a turn of 30 degrees to the conflicting traffic (I believe that it was another air carrier). Controller, later, thanked us for our help, after initially querying us, as to why we were climbing. We assured him that we had been cleared, and read back the clearance to FL370. Factors contributing: recent changes in our company's flight numbers put similar sounding call signs, in use. The controller said, he thought that it might have been his fault, that he was tired, and the all signs were similar. He thought that he had cleared our company flight number xxhb, we were flight number xxab, and it was about XA00 am. Supplemental information from acn 299672: contributing factors: 1) our company uses like call signs on several flts at this time, ie, company flight numbers XX92, XX62, XX07, XX67, 2) time of day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR RECEIVED A CLRNC TO AN ALT THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CONFLICT. (THE CTLR CONFUSED COMPANY'S SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS).

Narrative: DURING CRUISE SEGMENT FROM MEM TO JFK, WE WERE LEVEL AT FL330, AND BEGAN TO PICK UP LIGHT TURB FROM CLOUD TOPS. WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED CLRNC TO FL350. APCHING FL350 IT WAS APPARENT THAT FL350 WAS NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN FL330, AND WE REQUESTED FL370. THE CTLR SAID TO STANDBY, AND THEN CAME BACK WITH A CLRNC TO CLB AND MAINTAIN FL370. PASSING FL363, CTR CALLED AND ASKED WHAT OUR PRESENT ALT WAS, AND UPON HEARING OUR REPLY OF FL363, HE SAID THAT WE BELONGED AT FL350, AND GAVE US AN IMMEDIATE R TURN OF 30 DEGS, AND A DSCNT TO FL350. HE ISSUED A TURN OF 30 DEGS TO THE CONFLICTING TFC (I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS ANOTHER ACR). CTLR, LATER, THANKED US FOR OUR HELP, AFTER INITIALLY QUERYING US, AS TO WHY WE WERE CLBING. WE ASSURED HIM THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED, AND READ BACK THE CLRNC TO FL370. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING: RECENT CHANGES IN OUR COMPANY'S FLT NUMBERS PUT SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS, IN USE. THE CTLR SAID, HE THOUGHT THAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN HIS FAULT, THAT HE WAS TIRED, AND THE ALL SIGNS WERE SIMILAR. HE THOUGHT THAT HE HAD CLRED OUR COMPANY FLT NUMBER XXHB, WE WERE FLT NUMBER XXAB, AND IT WAS ABOUT XA00 AM. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 299672: CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) OUR COMPANY USES LIKE CALL SIGNS ON SEVERAL FLTS AT THIS TIME, IE, COMPANY FLT NUMBERS XX92, XX62, XX07, XX67, 2) TIME OF DAY.

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.