Narrative:

In the vicinity of 30 degrees west, over the atlantic, we were dealing with a seriously ill passenger. A cardiologist on the flight was certain that she had a blood clot lodged in her lung (prior history) and the situation was grave. After assessing the location of all available facilities, we determined that our original destination, lhr, would have the best medical facilities available to handle the emergency. I was the flying first officer and contacted the HF controller in gander, requesting an increase in speed from mach .84 to mach .85- .86. The request was granted and we immediately increased our speed. At that time, we were also given priority handling to lhr. Although we had not requested an altitude change, a controller then asked when we could climb to FL390. We told him to stand by while we checked winds, weight, etc. He then requested us to 'climb and maintain FL390 when able,' or something close to that. The captain then set FL390 in the altitude box, and I began the climb. As we were crossing 30 degrees west, the captain gave a position report to shanwick, at which point in time someone came on the HF and asked 'who gave you permission to climb to FL390?' shanwick immediately gave us permission to 'climb to and maintain FL390,' and the captain responded that we were already leveled at that altitude. Neither gander nor shanwick would admit they gave us the original clearance to FL390. All 3 pilots in our cockpit heard the clearance and only made the altitude change based on the controller's request. Since we were at the 30 degree west changeover point from gander to shanwick at the time, I'm not sure which one of them made the original request to climb to the new altitude. Feel free to contact me if you have questions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR WDB FLC WERE ASKED WHEN THEY COULD CLB TO FL390. WHILE THEY WERE CHKING THEIR PERFORMANCE DATA THEY RECEIVED A XMISSION THAT THEY INTERPED AS 'CLB TO FL390 WHEN ABLE.' AFTER RPTING AT FL390 THEIR ALT WAS QUESTIONED BY SOMEONE AND NEITHER CZQX NOR EGGX WOULD ADMIT TO GIVING THE ORIGINAL CLRNC TO FL390.

Narrative: IN THE VICINITY OF 30 DEGS W, OVER THE ATLANTIC, WE WERE DEALING WITH A SERIOUSLY ILL PAX. A CARDIOLOGIST ON THE FLT WAS CERTAIN THAT SHE HAD A BLOOD CLOT LODGED IN HER LUNG (PRIOR HISTORY) AND THE SIT WAS GRAVE. AFTER ASSESSING THE LOCATION OF ALL AVAILABLE FACILITIES, WE DETERMINED THAT OUR ORIGINAL DEST, LHR, WOULD HAVE THE BEST MEDICAL FACILITIES AVAILABLE TO HANDLE THE EMER. I WAS THE FLYING FO AND CONTACTED THE HF CTLR IN GANDER, REQUESTING AN INCREASE IN SPD FROM MACH .84 TO MACH .85- .86. THE REQUEST WAS GRANTED AND WE IMMEDIATELY INCREASED OUR SPD. AT THAT TIME, WE WERE ALSO GIVEN PRIORITY HANDLING TO LHR. ALTHOUGH WE HAD NOT REQUESTED AN ALT CHANGE, A CTLR THEN ASKED WHEN WE COULD CLB TO FL390. WE TOLD HIM TO STAND BY WHILE WE CHKED WINDS, WT, ETC. HE THEN REQUESTED US TO 'CLB AND MAINTAIN FL390 WHEN ABLE,' OR SOMETHING CLOSE TO THAT. THE CAPT THEN SET FL390 IN THE ALT BOX, AND I BEGAN THE CLB. AS WE WERE XING 30 DEGS W, THE CAPT GAVE A POS RPT TO SHANWICK, AT WHICH POINT IN TIME SOMEONE CAME ON THE HF AND ASKED 'WHO GAVE YOU PERMISSION TO CLB TO FL390?' SHANWICK IMMEDIATELY GAVE US PERMISSION TO 'CLB TO AND MAINTAIN FL390,' AND THE CAPT RESPONDED THAT WE WERE ALREADY LEVELED AT THAT ALT. NEITHER GANDER NOR SHANWICK WOULD ADMIT THEY GAVE US THE ORIGINAL CLRNC TO FL390. ALL 3 PLTS IN OUR COCKPIT HEARD THE CLRNC AND ONLY MADE THE ALT CHANGE BASED ON THE CTLR'S REQUEST. SINCE WE WERE AT THE 30 DEG W CHANGEOVER POINT FROM GANDER TO SHANWICK AT THE TIME, I'M NOT SURE WHICH ONE OF THEM MADE THE ORIGINAL REQUEST TO CLB TO THE NEW ALT. FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

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.