A 'line up and wait' clearance is disputed at lfpg.

Attributes
ACN	583759
Time
Date	200306
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lfpg.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lfpg.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground other : line up and wait
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : lfpg.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 8800 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	583759
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Approaching runway, switched from ground to local. Local points out traffic on final. First officer mentions traffic appears to be 3 mi out (on TCASII). Local said traffic is 5 mi out. Local says 'line up and wait runway 27L.' while on taxiway Y11, approaching runway, local mentions 'after departing traffic' line up. Stopped on runway about 5 seconds, then cleared to takeoff. First officer notes landing traffic on TCASII is +600 ft and 2 mi out (behind). Advised by local after takeoff that we were not cleared into position, but to do so after landing traffic. We believe no conflict existed, lfpg controller (uses) non-standard ATC phraseology and conditional clrncs (ie, 'after landing traffic -- line up and wait runway'). First officer read back all (perceived) clrncs and was not corrected. No one was rushed or fatigued.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A 'LINE UP AND WAIT' CLRNC IS DISPUTED AT LFPG.

Narrative: APCHING RWY, SWITCHED FROM GND TO LCL. LCL POINTS OUT TFC ON FINAL. FO MENTIONS TFC APPEARS TO BE 3 MI OUT (ON TCASII). LCL SAID TFC IS 5 MI OUT. LCL SAYS 'LINE UP AND WAIT RWY 27L.' WHILE ON TXWY Y11, APCHING RWY, LCL MENTIONS 'AFTER DEPARTING TFC' LINE UP. STOPPED ON RWY ABOUT 5 SECONDS, THEN CLRED TO TKOF. FO NOTES LNDG TFC ON TCASII IS +600 FT AND 2 MI OUT (BEHIND). ADVISED BY LCL AFTER TKOF THAT WE WERE NOT CLRED INTO POS, BUT TO DO SO AFTER LNDG TFC. WE BELIEVE NO CONFLICT EXISTED, LFPG CTLR (USES) NON-STANDARD ATC PHRASEOLOGY AND CONDITIONAL CLRNCS (IE, 'AFTER LNDG TFC -- LINE UP AND WAIT RWY'). FO READ BACK ALL (PERCEIVED) CLRNCS AND WAS NOT CORRECTED. NO ONE WAS RUSHED OR FATIGUED.

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.