Narrative:

Ord approach control/ATC has had trouble with our call signs. We use air carrier X xyz and they call us anything from air carrier Y to air carrier Z and constantly transpose the flight numbers. During this flight, we were the only air carrier X aircraft on approach frequency. We were on a base leg vector for ILS runway 4R. 3 previous times, the controller kept calling us air carrier X xxyz instead of xzyz. We always corrected the controller. He gave us a turn to 070 degrees, 4000 ft, intercept the ILS runway 4R, maintain 4000 ft until established, cleared for the approach. Our position looked good off the ord VOR for the 070 degrees to work. My copilot thought approach used the wrong call sign, so I told him to confirm. Because we could talk to him (90 seconds later) he gave us a left turn to 010 degrees and said we had taken someone else's turn. 1/2 way through the turn, he turned us back again to the right to intercept. We asked for clearance lower and got 2500 ft. The approach worked out ok, no conflicts were noted. I think the controllers get used to working the same flight numbers on their daily shifts and with our call sign/flight numbers being new, it adds confusion to their day. Or, we just took someone else's approach clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C90 CTLR AND FLC CONFUSE CALL SIGNS AND THE FLC TAKES A CLRNC FOR ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: ORD APCH CTL/ATC HAS HAD TROUBLE WITH OUR CALL SIGNS. WE USE ACR X XYZ AND THEY CALL US ANYTHING FROM ACR Y TO ACR Z AND CONSTANTLY TRANSPOSE THE FLT NUMBERS. DURING THIS FLT, WE WERE THE ONLY ACR X ACFT ON APCH FREQ. WE WERE ON A BASE LEG VECTOR FOR ILS RWY 4R. 3 PREVIOUS TIMES, THE CTLR KEPT CALLING US ACR X XXYZ INSTEAD OF XZYZ. WE ALWAYS CORRECTED THE CTLR. HE GAVE US A TURN TO 070 DEGS, 4000 FT, INTERCEPT THE ILS RWY 4R, MAINTAIN 4000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED, CLRED FOR THE APCH. OUR POS LOOKED GOOD OFF THE ORD VOR FOR THE 070 DEGS TO WORK. MY COPLT THOUGHT APCH USED THE WRONG CALL SIGN, SO I TOLD HIM TO CONFIRM. BECAUSE WE COULD TALK TO HIM (90 SECONDS LATER) HE GAVE US A L TURN TO 010 DEGS AND SAID WE HAD TAKEN SOMEONE ELSE'S TURN. 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE TURN, HE TURNED US BACK AGAIN TO THE R TO INTERCEPT. WE ASKED FOR CLRNC LOWER AND GOT 2500 FT. THE APCH WORKED OUT OK, NO CONFLICTS WERE NOTED. I THINK THE CTLRS GET USED TO WORKING THE SAME FLT NUMBERS ON THEIR DAILY SHIFTS AND WITH OUR CALL SIGN/FLT NUMBERS BEING NEW, IT ADDS CONFUSION TO THEIR DAY. OR, WE JUST TOOK SOMEONE ELSE'S APCH CLRNC.

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.