Narrative:

At approximately xa:30Z at runway 09R at lfpg while on taxiway Y3 departure intersection. Our flight was #1 at the hold short point. A B767 was cleared for takeoff and we were cleared to 'line up and wait on runway 09R.' the clearance was read back by the first officer. Final approach was cleared by all three crewmembers as we began our taxi roll to go onto the runway. We then heard an emphatic request to hold our position made by an MD80 parked adjacent to us on taxiway K-1. We immediately stopped and held short of the runway. When we looked to final approach, there was an aircraft on approach. WX was 2400 sct, 3200 brkn, and 5KM visibility. Lfpg tower was informed by us that we were cleared to 'line up and wait on runway 09R' silence followed and then we were told to, 'line up and wait after the A320 on final approach.' we looked out on final and there was an aircraft out there. We then confirmed the clearance and executed it. Supplemental information from acn 560056: when we all looked at final, there was an aircraft on approach. I believe we were cleared on the runway while the aircraft on approach was still above the ceiling and we nor the controller could see it. It was only after it broke out did the other foreign flag carrier see it. At that time, we were taxiing and completing the final takeoff checklist items. The french tower controller cleared us onto an active runway with an aircraft on final based on the aircraft type, not the position of the aircraft. He should have said or cleared us to 'line up and wait after the aircraft on final lands.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter, nor does the flight crew, understand french. Not understanding the language, he advised that they 'have to expect that controller clrncs are correct.' the reporter advised that he has not heard anything from the company about this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FOREIGN ACR ALERTS U. S. B777 TO DISREGARD LFPG LC 'LINE UP AND WAIT' CLRNC BECAUSE OF A320 ON SHORT FINAL TO SAME RWY. LFPG CTLR AMENDS CLRNC AFTER INCIDENT IS BROUGHT TO THIS ATTENTION.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA:30Z AT RWY 09R AT LFPG WHILE ON TXWY Y3 DEP INTXN. OUR FLT WAS #1 AT THE HOLD SHORT POINT. A B767 WAS CLRED FOR TKOF AND WE WERE CLRED TO 'LINE UP AND WAIT ON RWY 09R.' THE CLRNC WAS READ BACK BY THE FO. FINAL APCH WAS CLRED BY ALL THREE CREWMEMBERS AS WE BEGAN OUR TAXI ROLL TO GO ONTO THE RWY. WE THEN HEARD AN EMPHATIC REQUEST TO HOLD OUR POS MADE BY AN MD80 PARKED ADJACENT TO US ON TXWY K-1. WE IMMEDIATELY STOPPED AND HELD SHORT OF THE RWY. WHEN WE LOOKED TO FINAL APCH, THERE WAS AN ACFT ON APCH. WX WAS 2400 SCT, 3200 BRKN, AND 5KM VIS. LFPG TWR WAS INFORMED BY US THAT WE WERE CLRED TO 'LINE UP AND WAIT ON RWY 09R' SILENCE FOLLOWED AND THEN WE WERE TOLD TO, 'LINE UP AND WAIT AFTER THE A320 ON FINAL APCH.' WE LOOKED OUT ON FINAL AND THERE WAS AN ACFT OUT THERE. WE THEN CONFIRMED THE CLRNC AND EXECUTED IT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 560056: WHEN WE ALL LOOKED AT FINAL, THERE WAS AN ACFT ON APCH. I BELIEVE WE WERE CLRED ON THE RWY WHILE THE ACFT ON APCH WAS STILL ABOVE THE CEILING AND WE NOR THE CTLR COULD SEE IT. IT WAS ONLY AFTER IT BROKE OUT DID THE OTHER FOREIGN FLAG CARRIER SEE IT. AT THAT TIME, WE WERE TAXIING AND COMPLETING THE FINAL TKOF CHKLIST ITEMS. THE FRENCH TWR CTLR CLRED US ONTO AN ACTIVE RWY WITH AN ACFT ON FINAL BASED ON THE ACFT TYPE, NOT THE POS OF THE ACFT. HE SHOULD HAVE SAID OR CLRED US TO 'LINE UP AND WAIT AFTER THE ACFT ON FINAL LANDS.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR, NOR DOES THE FLT CREW, UNDERSTAND FRENCH. NOT UNDERSTANDING THE LANGUAGE, HE ADVISED THAT THEY 'HAVE TO EXPECT THAT CTLR CLRNCS ARE CORRECT.' THE RPTR ADVISED THAT HE HAS NOT HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE COMPANY ABOUT THIS INCIDENT.

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.