Narrative:

We were (aus direct atl) in an MD88 inbound via the lagrange arrival into atl in daylight VMC. We received a clearance from ZTL stating, 'air carrier X cross 70 mi southwest of lgc VOR at FL290 with pilot's discretion to FL290.' we acknowledged the clearance and set the FMS to perform that clearance. Subsequently, we were handed to atl approach control and got a new clearance stating, 'air carrier X, proceed direct tiroe and maintain 320 KTS or greater.' we read back that clearance with 'pilot's discretion FL240,' since we were no longer crossing lgc on our new arrival clearance. While on atl approach control, ZTL controller came on and asked us why we didn't cross 70 NM from lgc at FL290. We stated that we had been reclred via approach control to direct tiroe and were no longer proceeding via lgc to perform that clearance. I stated, as we are trained, 'once cleared from a SID/STAR, restrs on that portion of the SID/STAR no longer apply.' we could have done a descent/crossing restr had the approach controller given us a distance/time from a point/fix on our new route (like they usually do when they want it still). But we got no such clearance nor was anything said about it when we checked in with 'pilot's discretion to FL240.' the FMS would also be unable to perform such a function since that fix would no longer be on the programmed route of flight stored in the computer. We would have been able to still do a crossing restr had one been given for our new route. Apparently, all the controllers that center talked to thought we still should have been able to do that crossing restr, but all pilots don't concur.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: XING RESTR ISSUED BY ZTL NEGATED WHEN AN A80 APCH CTLR UNKNOWINGLY REDIRECTED AN MD80 FLT CREW TO PROCEED DIRECT LGC WITHOUT RESTATING THE RESTR.

Narrative: WE WERE (AUS DIRECT ATL) IN AN MD88 INBOUND VIA THE LAGRANGE ARR INTO ATL IN DAYLIGHT VMC. WE RECEIVED A CLRNC FROM ZTL STATING, 'ACR X CROSS 70 MI SW OF LGC VOR AT FL290 WITH PLT'S DISCRETION TO FL290.' WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC AND SET THE FMS TO PERFORM THAT CLRNC. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE WERE HANDED TO ATL APCH CTL AND GOT A NEW CLRNC STATING, 'ACR X, PROCEED DIRECT TIROE AND MAINTAIN 320 KTS OR GREATER.' WE READ BACK THAT CLRNC WITH 'PLT'S DISCRETION FL240,' SINCE WE WERE NO LONGER XING LGC ON OUR NEW ARR CLRNC. WHILE ON ATL APCH CTL, ZTL CTLR CAME ON AND ASKED US WHY WE DIDN'T CROSS 70 NM FROM LGC AT FL290. WE STATED THAT WE HAD BEEN RECLRED VIA APCH CTL TO DIRECT TIROE AND WERE NO LONGER PROCEEDING VIA LGC TO PERFORM THAT CLRNC. I STATED, AS WE ARE TRAINED, 'ONCE CLRED FROM A SID/STAR, RESTRS ON THAT PORTION OF THE SID/STAR NO LONGER APPLY.' WE COULD HAVE DONE A DSCNT/XING RESTR HAD THE APCH CTLR GIVEN US A DISTANCE/TIME FROM A POINT/FIX ON OUR NEW RTE (LIKE THEY USUALLY DO WHEN THEY WANT IT STILL). BUT WE GOT NO SUCH CLRNC NOR WAS ANYTHING SAID ABOUT IT WHEN WE CHKED IN WITH 'PLT'S DISCRETION TO FL240.' THE FMS WOULD ALSO BE UNABLE TO PERFORM SUCH A FUNCTION SINCE THAT FIX WOULD NO LONGER BE ON THE PROGRAMMED RTE OF FLT STORED IN THE COMPUTER. WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STILL DO A XING RESTR HAD ONE BEEN GIVEN FOR OUR NEW RTE. APPARENTLY, ALL THE CTLRS THAT CTR TALKED TO THOUGHT WE STILL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT XING RESTR, BUT ALL PLTS DON'T CONCUR.

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.