Narrative:

We were holding short of runway 7L at frankfurt, germany, and were cleared by tower, 'line up and wait runway 7L, air carrier Y on 3 mi final.' we responded to tower 'roger, air carrier X line up and wait runway 7L.' we taxied into position and hold at which time we noticed a jet on final. The air carrier Y jet commented to tower 'hey, a jet is taxiing into position on runway 7L.' tower then instructed air carrier Y to 'go around.' air carrier Y jet made a missed approach and we were cleared for takeoff without incident. Tower told us after the go around that he had told us to 'line up and wait runway 7L, after the air carrier Y on a 3 mi final.' we never heard 'after' and read back 'line up and wait runway 7L.' if this type of clearance was given, and we maintain it was not, it should not be an authority/authorized clearance. Supplemental information from acn 356948: if tower had used standard terminology such as 'hold short of runway, landing traffic,' or 'expect takeoff clearance after landing aircraft' this would not have occurred.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A UNITED STATES ACR ENTERS THE RWY AT FRA, BELIEVING THEY HAD CLRNC TO DO SO. TWR CTLR SAYS NO AFTER SENDING ACFT ON 3 MI FINAL AROUND. CREW CITES TWR CLRNC AS BEING A CONDITIONAL ONE WITH 'AFTER' NOT BEING COPIED BY CREW IN CLRNC AS RELATED TO LNDG ACFT. UNAUTH RWY ENTRY OP.

Narrative: WE WERE HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 7L AT FRANKFURT, GERMANY, AND WERE CLRED BY TWR, 'LINE UP AND WAIT RWY 7L, ACR Y ON 3 MI FINAL.' WE RESPONDED TO TWR 'ROGER, ACR X LINE UP AND WAIT RWY 7L.' WE TAXIED INTO POS AND HOLD AT WHICH TIME WE NOTICED A JET ON FINAL. THE ACR Y JET COMMENTED TO TWR 'HEY, A JET IS TAXIING INTO POS ON RWY 7L.' TWR THEN INSTRUCTED ACR Y TO 'GAR.' ACR Y JET MADE A MISSED APCH AND WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF WITHOUT INCIDENT. TWR TOLD US AFTER THE GAR THAT HE HAD TOLD US TO 'LINE UP AND WAIT RWY 7L, AFTER THE ACR Y ON A 3 MI FINAL.' WE NEVER HEARD 'AFTER' AND READ BACK 'LINE UP AND WAIT RWY 7L.' IF THIS TYPE OF CLRNC WAS GIVEN, AND WE MAINTAIN IT WAS NOT, IT SHOULD NOT BE AN AUTH CLRNC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 356948: IF TWR HAD USED STANDARD TERMINOLOGY SUCH AS 'HOLD SHORT OF RWY, LNDG TFC,' OR 'EXPECT TKOF CLRNC AFTER LNDG ACFT' THIS WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED.

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.