Narrative:

After departing louisville, air carrier X operations told us we have to return to gate (they turn our flts in louisville). They told us this and they told departure this. Departure told us 'company needs you to return to gate' and gave us new heading as well as lower altitude. I had been monitoring company, but did not hear them try calling us as I was busy with cockpit duties. They went ahead and told ATC that we had to return to gate. I confirmed this with them as soon as ATC called us. (This sequence of events occurred while climbing through 10000-11000 ft.) we returned to gate where air carrier X took off a bag containing passenger medication that was needed that night. We then finished up paperwork and again departed. With the terminology used by both ATC and company the crew understood that our company was in charge of making us return to the gate and thus re- releasing us. Apparently, air carrier X ground crew took it upon themselves to make us return to the gate. This was never relayed to the crew. The ground crew also never notified our company they did have us return to gate. We as the crew were not even aware anything was out of the ordinary until the next day when our company notified the captain that a re-release was not obtained. With the events that occurred and the terminology used it was our understanding the company (our air carrier B) was in control of our flight the entire time. As is apparent in this situation, we as a crew should check and double check any event that may cause an irregular operation. Our airlines, because they do not turn all of their flts, is especially open to such an occurrence happening.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT ACFT DURING DEP CLB WAS TOLD BY ATC THAT COMPANY REQUESTED THEY RETURN TO ARPT BECAUSE OF CRITICAL MEDICINE ON BOARD. FLC COMPLIED, BUT DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE COMPANY THAT CALLED FOR THE RETURN WAS ANOTHER ACR WHO HANDLES THEIR ACFT AT THAT ARPT. CONSEQUENTLY, FLC DIDN'T OBTAIN A RE-RELEASE FOR THE NEXT DEP AND THEY DEPARTED THINKING IT WAS THEIR COMPANY WHO HAD TAKEN CARE OF THE RELEASE DETAILS.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING LOUISVILLE, ACR X OPS TOLD US WE HAVE TO RETURN TO GATE (THEY TURN OUR FLTS IN LOUISVILLE). THEY TOLD US THIS AND THEY TOLD DEP THIS. DEP TOLD US 'COMPANY NEEDS YOU TO RETURN TO GATE' AND GAVE US NEW HEADING AS WELL AS LOWER ALT. I HAD BEEN MONITORING COMPANY, BUT DID NOT HEAR THEM TRY CALLING US AS I WAS BUSY WITH COCKPIT DUTIES. THEY WENT AHEAD AND TOLD ATC THAT WE HAD TO RETURN TO GATE. I CONFIRMED THIS WITH THEM AS SOON AS ATC CALLED US. (THIS SEQUENCE OF EVENTS OCCURRED WHILE CLBING THROUGH 10000-11000 FT.) WE RETURNED TO GATE WHERE ACR X TOOK OFF A BAG CONTAINING PAX MEDICATION THAT WAS NEEDED THAT NIGHT. WE THEN FINISHED UP PAPERWORK AND AGAIN DEPARTED. WITH THE TERMINOLOGY USED BY BOTH ATC AND COMPANY THE CREW UNDERSTOOD THAT OUR COMPANY WAS IN CHARGE OF MAKING US RETURN TO THE GATE AND THUS RE- RELEASING US. APPARENTLY, ACR X GND CREW TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO MAKE US RETURN TO THE GATE. THIS WAS NEVER RELAYED TO THE CREW. THE GND CREW ALSO NEVER NOTIFIED OUR COMPANY THEY DID HAVE US RETURN TO GATE. WE AS THE CREW WERE NOT EVEN AWARE ANYTHING WAS OUT OF THE ORDINARY UNTIL THE NEXT DAY WHEN OUR COMPANY NOTIFIED THE CAPT THAT A RE-RELEASE WAS NOT OBTAINED. WITH THE EVENTS THAT OCCURRED AND THE TERMINOLOGY USED IT WAS OUR UNDERSTANDING THE COMPANY (OUR ACR B) WAS IN CTL OF OUR FLT THE ENTIRE TIME. AS IS APPARENT IN THIS SIT, WE AS A CREW SHOULD CHK AND DOUBLE CHK ANY EVENT THAT MAY CAUSE AN IRREGULAR OP. OUR AIRLINES, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT TURN ALL OF THEIR FLTS, IS ESPECIALLY OPEN TO SUCH AN OCCURRENCE HAPPENING.

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.