Narrative:

Flight was told to hold short of runway 8R, shortly thereafter we acknowledged a clearance for takeoff. There was no response from the tower that this clearance was not for us and after we took the active runway, ontario tower said that clearance was not for us. Another smaller aircraft (which we could not see) at the other end of the runway was apparently starting his takeoff roll on runway 26L. The tower then told the other aircraft to exit the runway, and we were given clearance to takeoff. The confusion may have been an aircraft with a similar call sign. Our flight continued without further incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he did not 'listen,' although he heard clearance as he was on PA giving flight attendants prepare for takeoff announcement. First officer positive he heard clearance correctly and he did read back. Reporter feels their readback probably cut out by other aircraft readback. Reporter quite upset that no advisory reference opposite direction traffic was given. He always looks for traffic on entering a runway, but normally landing traffic is of concern. Flight crew was never able to see the opposite direction traffic. Feels controller determined situation because they faced the tower with all lights blazing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR RESPONDS TO SIMILAR A/N TKOF CLRNC. CTLR SIGHTS PROBLEM OF OPPOSITE DIRECTION TKOF. CANCELS TKOF CLRNC.

Narrative: FLT WAS TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 8R, SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE ACKNOWLEDGED A CLRNC FOR TKOF. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE TWR THAT THIS CLRNC WAS NOT FOR US AND AFTER WE TOOK THE ACTIVE RWY, ONTARIO TWR SAID THAT CLRNC WAS NOT FOR US. ANOTHER SMALLER ACFT (WHICH WE COULD NOT SEE) AT THE OTHER END OF THE RWY WAS APPARENTLY STARTING HIS TKOF ROLL ON RWY 26L. THE TWR THEN TOLD THE OTHER ACFT TO EXIT THE RWY, AND WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO TKOF. THE CONFUSION MAY HAVE BEEN AN ACFT WITH A SIMILAR CALL SIGN. OUR FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE DID NOT 'LISTEN,' ALTHOUGH HE HEARD CLRNC AS HE WAS ON PA GIVING FLT ATTENDANTS PREPARE FOR TKOF ANNOUNCEMENT. FO POSITIVE HE HEARD CLRNC CORRECTLY AND HE DID READ BACK. RPTR FEELS THEIR READBACK PROBABLY CUT OUT BY OTHER ACFT READBACK. RPTR QUITE UPSET THAT NO ADVISORY REF OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC WAS GIVEN. HE ALWAYS LOOKS FOR TFC ON ENTERING A RWY, BUT NORMALLY LNDG TFC IS OF CONCERN. FLC WAS NEVER ABLE TO SEE THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC. FEELS CTLR DETERMINED SITUATION BECAUSE THEY FACED THE TWR WITH ALL LIGHTS BLAZING.

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.