A B752 crew, when checking in with new controller at FL310, was immediately cleared to FL350.

Attributes
ACN	519598
Time
Date	200107
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sax.vortac
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw.artcc artcc : zkc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute airway : j77.airway
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	519598
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Prior to gande intersection on J77 at FL310, we were instructed to switch center frequencys. Upon check-in with the new controller, he inquired about our altitude assignment. I stated it was FL310 as assigned by the previous controller. No further mention was made about our altitude assignment other than a rather hasty clearance (by the inquiring controller) to FL350 (our filed flight level). As previously mentioned, no comment was made about our altitude assignment by the current controller, but I have the distinct feeling from the tone and pause of this controller that something was 'not quite right' about our altitude. Did we miss a call from a previous controller? Was the previous controller expected to give us FL350? We may never know the answer, but I do know the frequencys are not becoming less crowded, the controllers continue to be overworked and hearback/verification is not required of the controllers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B752 CREW, WHEN CHKING IN WITH NEW CTLR AT FL310, WAS IMMEDIATELY CLRED TO FL350.

Narrative: PRIOR TO GANDE INTXN ON J77 AT FL310, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO SWITCH CTR FREQS. UPON CHK-IN WITH THE NEW CTLR, HE INQUIRED ABOUT OUR ALT ASSIGNMENT. I STATED IT WAS FL310 AS ASSIGNED BY THE PREVIOUS CTLR. NO FURTHER MENTION WAS MADE ABOUT OUR ALT ASSIGNMENT OTHER THAN A RATHER HASTY CLRNC (BY THE INQUIRING CTLR) TO FL350 (OUR FILED FLT LEVEL). AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, NO COMMENT WAS MADE ABOUT OUR ALT ASSIGNMENT BY THE CURRENT CTLR, BUT I HAVE THE DISTINCT FEELING FROM THE TONE AND PAUSE OF THIS CTLR THAT SOMETHING WAS 'NOT QUITE RIGHT' ABOUT OUR ALT. DID WE MISS A CALL FROM A PREVIOUS CTLR? WAS THE PREVIOUS CTLR EXPECTED TO GIVE US FL350? WE MAY NEVER KNOW THE ANSWER, BUT I DO KNOW THE FREQS ARE NOT BECOMING LESS CROWDED, THE CTLRS CONTINUE TO BE OVERWORKED AND HEARBACK/VERIFICATION IS NOT REQUIRED OF THE CTLRS.

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.