Narrative:

During taxi, while under ground control authority/authorized, we were directed to switch to tower frequency and that the air carrier MD88 in front of us was our 'sequence' for takeoff. After switching to tower frequency, we heard the tower clear the MD88 onto the runway (runway 8R). Shortly thereafter, the MD88 was cleared for takeoff and (to the best of my knowledge) we were cleared 'on to hold and use caution for wake turbulence behind the MD88.' while taxiing onto runway 8R, the tower called and asked us 'where are you going?' our reply was 'to ZZZ, us.' tower then informed us that the clearance onto the runway was for a king air waiting on the other side of the runway and continuing to hold. Since we were already on the runway, tower cleared us for takeoff. Before takeoff, I read back the takeoff clearance and informed tower that we had understood the 'on to hold 'clearance was for us and that I had replied to that clearance with our call sign with no further report from tower. Supplemental information from acn 509507: we heard and read back 'air carrier xyz position and hold runway 8R. Tower informed us that the position and hold clearance was for a king air on the opposite side of the runway. The king air didn't move.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 CREW TAXIED INTO POS TO HOLD AS CLRED AT ATL. TWR CTLR TOOK EXCEPTION TO THEIR INTERP OF THE CLRNC.

Narrative: DURING TAXI, WHILE UNDER GND CTL AUTH, WE WERE DIRECTED TO SWITCH TO TWR FREQ AND THAT THE ACR MD88 IN FRONT OF US WAS OUR 'SEQUENCE' FOR TKOF. AFTER SWITCHING TO TWR FREQ, WE HEARD THE TWR CLR THE MD88 ONTO THE RWY (RWY 8R). SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE MD88 WAS CLRED FOR TKOF AND (TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE) WE WERE CLRED 'ON TO HOLD AND USE CAUTION FOR WAKE TURB BEHIND THE MD88.' WHILE TAXIING ONTO RWY 8R, THE TWR CALLED AND ASKED US 'WHERE ARE YOU GOING?' OUR REPLY WAS 'TO ZZZ, US.' TWR THEN INFORMED US THAT THE CLRNC ONTO THE RWY WAS FOR A KING AIR WAITING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RWY AND CONTINUING TO HOLD. SINCE WE WERE ALREADY ON THE RWY, TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. BEFORE TKOF, I READ BACK THE TKOF CLRNC AND INFORMED TWR THAT WE HAD UNDERSTOOD THE 'ON TO HOLD 'CLRNC WAS FOR US AND THAT I HAD REPLIED TO THAT CLRNC WITH OUR CALL SIGN WITH NO FURTHER RPT FROM TWR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 509507: WE HEARD AND READ BACK 'ACR XYZ POS AND HOLD RWY 8R. TWR INFORMED US THAT THE POS AND HOLD CLRNC WAS FOR A KING AIR ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE RWY. THE KING AIR DIDN'T MOVE.

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.