Reporter believes the ATCT local controller at cle is crowding aircraft preparing to depart.

Attributes
ACN	499838
Time
Date	200101
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll ground : taxi ground : holding ground : position and hold
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : cle.tower
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground : position and hold ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 10000
ASRS Report	499838
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

There were 3 aircraft holding on runway 28 in cle, short of runway 23L. An air carrier Y jet, us in a B737-700, and behind us another air carrier Z jet. The tower cleared the first aircraft to cross runway 23L and take off on runway 23R. He then cleared us to follow across runway 23L and position and hold on runway 23R, and then he cleared the aircraft behind us to cross runway 23L and hold short of runway 23R. This procedure is common in cle and is evidence that the tower is willing to compromise safety in order to move more traffic, as you may notice from looking at the airport diagram, there is not enough room for 3 aircraft on the west side of runway 23L. Also, if any of the 3 aircraft had to slow down or stop, we're going to foul both runways. A few months ago, I was in a similar incident and an aircraft had to execute a missed approach because 'the train' didn't make it across runway 23L in time. This is a dangerous procedure and it should be stopped.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR BELIEVES THE ATCT LCL CTLR AT CLE IS CROWDING ACFT PREPARING TO DEPART.

Narrative: THERE WERE 3 ACFT HOLDING ON RWY 28 IN CLE, SHORT OF RWY 23L. AN ACR Y JET, US IN A B737-700, AND BEHIND US ANOTHER ACR Z JET. THE TWR CLRED THE FIRST ACFT TO CROSS RWY 23L AND TAKE OFF ON RWY 23R. HE THEN CLRED US TO FOLLOW ACROSS RWY 23L AND POS AND HOLD ON RWY 23R, AND THEN HE CLRED THE ACFT BEHIND US TO CROSS RWY 23L AND HOLD SHORT OF RWY 23R. THIS PROC IS COMMON IN CLE AND IS EVIDENCE THAT THE TWR IS WILLING TO COMPROMISE SAFETY IN ORDER TO MOVE MORE TFC, AS YOU MAY NOTICE FROM LOOKING AT THE ARPT DIAGRAM, THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ROOM FOR 3 ACFT ON THE W SIDE OF RWY 23L. ALSO, IF ANY OF THE 3 ACFT HAD TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP, WE'RE GOING TO FOUL BOTH RWYS. A FEW MONTHS AGO, I WAS IN A SIMILAR INCIDENT AND AN ACFT HAD TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH BECAUSE 'THE TRAIN' DIDN'T MAKE IT ACROSS RWY 23L IN TIME. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROC AND IT SHOULD BE STOPPED.

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.