Narrative:

Level at FL240 we were in/out of tops in light turbulence. I requested cji request FL260 for WX. The controller asked us to say again. I again repeated the request. She immediately (within a few seconds) cleared us to maintain FL260. Approximately 2 mins later after we were level at FL260. She asked our altitude. The first officer reported FL260. She stated we were not assigned this. The clearance was for another aircraft. I informed her she had given the clearance to us. Another company aircraft edd asked if she had called them because they had not received any clearance. She ignored him. After a moment of silence told edd to maintain FL250. I asked her to verify this was for edd (after he had accepted). She ignored me. The main less on in this is to listen to readbacks. It seems an increasing problem. Controllers don't listen to readbacks. We did read back our clearance to FL260 and advised climbing. Upon phone discussion later,, the controller's area manager said he had played back the tapes. He claims she issued the clearance to edd. (I don't believe it--we both concurred the clearance for us, but if so it is a lesson to listen carefully to #'south). However he said we were 'led down the garden path.' she issued a clearance supposedly to another aircraft immediately after our request to that same altitude. The other aircraft had not requested, nor had any reason to climb. The manager felt she had indeed meant to issue the clearance to us, but possibly looked at edd data strip and possibly issued the clearance using their #. The main thing is I informed her there was confusion being caused and to please clarify (after the fact) and she ignored my requests.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR REQUESTS HIGH DUE TO WX. RECEIVES CLRNC, BUT SHORTLY ASKED TO VERIFY ALT AND WAS INFORMED CLRNC FOR ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT.

Narrative: LEVEL AT FL240 WE WERE IN/OUT OF TOPS IN LIGHT TURB. I REQUESTED CJI REQUEST FL260 FOR WX. THE CTLR ASKED US TO SAY AGAIN. I AGAIN REPEATED THE REQUEST. SHE IMMEDIATELY (WITHIN A FEW SECS) CLRED US TO MAINTAIN FL260. APPROX 2 MINS LATER AFTER WE WERE LEVEL AT FL260. SHE ASKED OUR ALT. THE F/O RPTED FL260. SHE STATED WE WERE NOT ASSIGNED THIS. THE CLRNC WAS FOR ANOTHER ACFT. I INFORMED HER SHE HAD GIVEN THE CLRNC TO US. ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT EDD ASKED IF SHE HAD CALLED THEM BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY CLRNC. SHE IGNORED HIM. AFTER A MOMENT OF SILENCE TOLD EDD TO MAINTAIN FL250. I ASKED HER TO VERIFY THIS WAS FOR EDD (AFTER HE HAD ACCEPTED). SHE IGNORED ME. THE MAIN LESS ON IN THIS IS TO LISTEN TO READBACKS. IT SEEMS AN INCREASING PROB. CTLRS DON'T LISTEN TO READBACKS. WE DID READ BACK OUR CLRNC TO FL260 AND ADVISED CLBING. UPON PHONE DISCUSSION LATER,, THE CTLR'S AREA MGR SAID HE HAD PLAYED BACK THE TAPES. HE CLAIMS SHE ISSUED THE CLRNC TO EDD. (I DON'T BELIEVE IT--WE BOTH CONCURRED THE CLRNC FOR US, BUT IF SO IT IS A LESSON TO LISTEN CAREFULLY TO #'S). HOWEVER HE SAID WE WERE 'LED DOWN THE GARDEN PATH.' SHE ISSUED A CLRNC SUPPOSEDLY TO ANOTHER ACFT IMMEDIATELY AFTER OUR REQUEST TO THAT SAME ALT. THE OTHER ACFT HAD NOT REQUESTED, NOR HAD ANY REASON TO CLB. THE MGR FELT SHE HAD INDEED MEANT TO ISSUE THE CLRNC TO US, BUT POSSIBLY LOOKED AT EDD DATA STRIP AND POSSIBLY ISSUED THE CLRNC USING THEIR #. THE MAIN THING IS I INFORMED HER THERE WAS CONFUSION BEING CAUSED AND TO PLEASE CLARIFY (AFTER THE FACT) AND SHE IGNORED MY REQUESTS.

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.