Narrative:

It was the 4TH leg of the day. All our flts were over 1 hour delayed. Virtually nothing had gone right. ATIS winds at las were 100 degrees/6 KTS, using runway 7L for takeoff. After we push off of gate, I realize how long the taxi delays are. The line for runway 7L goes back up taxiway F to taxiway south, and back around the ramp. We are told to get in line behind a DC9. I hear one air carrier ask for a gate return, and then ask ramp control how long the taxi delays are. He reports that they are greater than 30 mins. It looks way longer than that, so the first officer and I have a discussion of using the extra fuel in the remarks section for the taxi fuel. I refer to the new fom and we decide that our fuel situation will be fine. At this point it appears we are in a long line of aircraft extending in front of us across runways 19L and 19R on taxiway south and then down to runway 7L. Past spot X, I hear an air carrier told to turn right, expect runway 19L or right then I hear the air carrier turn right, expect runway 19L or right, immediately followed (without response from us) air carrier X cross runway 19L turn left on taxiway east for runway 7L. Very confused, I say, say again for air carrier X. The ground controller then says something about us not going to runway 19 but to runway 7L and repeats our instructions. Still not convinced about what just happened, the first officer and I agree that we are supposed to continue straight ahead and get in line for runway 7L. Without much thought we apparently cross taxiway east heading for the line to runway 7L (on taxiway F) and come up to runway 19R. I hear an air carrier Y downfield cleared to cross runway 19R and I look to my right and see him. Now assuming runway 19R is not being used, we cross runway 19R to get into the line. While crossing the runway, the controller asks who just crossed runway 19R? I report air carrier X. The controller (now sounding a little frustrated) tells us to continue ahead to taxiway H and turn left. He then explains his intentions were for us to bypass the long taxi line and go right out as we were one of just a few northbound aircraft without in-trail delays as were the eastbound aircraft. We crank up #2 engine and hurry down to runway 7L. We go right over to tower frequency and given position and hold almost immediately. We then depart for sea. While airborne, the first officer and I review what happened. We conclude we crossed runway 19R without clearance, and that it was an active runway. There were no other reports, comments, go around's, or suggestions by any other aircraft or controllers.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER PUSHBACK, AN A320 CREW ENCOUNTER LONG LINES OF TFC TAXIING OUT FOR TKOF AND A VERY BUSY AND FRUSTRATED GND CTLR. THE CREW MISHEARS THE CTLR AND INADVERTENTLY CROSS AN ACTIVE RWY.

Narrative: IT WAS THE 4TH LEG OF THE DAY. ALL OUR FLTS WERE OVER 1 HR DELAYED. VIRTUALLY NOTHING HAD GONE RIGHT. ATIS WINDS AT LAS WERE 100 DEGS/6 KTS, USING RWY 7L FOR TKOF. AFTER WE PUSH OFF OF GATE, I REALIZE HOW LONG THE TAXI DELAYS ARE. THE LINE FOR RWY 7L GOES BACK UP TXWY F TO TXWY S, AND BACK AROUND THE RAMP. WE ARE TOLD TO GET IN LINE BEHIND A DC9. I HEAR ONE ACR ASK FOR A GATE RETURN, AND THEN ASK RAMP CTL HOW LONG THE TAXI DELAYS ARE. HE RPTS THAT THEY ARE GREATER THAN 30 MINS. IT LOOKS WAY LONGER THAN THAT, SO THE FO AND I HAVE A DISCUSSION OF USING THE EXTRA FUEL IN THE REMARKS SECTION FOR THE TAXI FUEL. I REFER TO THE NEW FOM AND WE DECIDE THAT OUR FUEL SIT WILL BE FINE. AT THIS POINT IT APPEARS WE ARE IN A LONG LINE OF ACFT EXTENDING IN FRONT OF US ACROSS RWYS 19L AND 19R ON TXWY S AND THEN DOWN TO RWY 7L. PAST SPOT X, I HEAR AN ACR TOLD TO TURN R, EXPECT RWY 19L OR R THEN I HEAR THE ACR TURN R, EXPECT RWY 19L OR R, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED (WITHOUT RESPONSE FROM US) ACR X CROSS RWY 19L TURN L ON TXWY E FOR RWY 7L. VERY CONFUSED, I SAY, SAY AGAIN FOR ACR X. THE GND CTLR THEN SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT US NOT GOING TO RWY 19 BUT TO RWY 7L AND REPEATS OUR INSTRUCTIONS. STILL NOT CONVINCED ABOUT WHAT JUST HAPPENED, THE FO AND I AGREE THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO CONTINUE STRAIGHT AHEAD AND GET IN LINE FOR RWY 7L. WITHOUT MUCH THOUGHT WE APPARENTLY CROSS TXWY E HDG FOR THE LINE TO RWY 7L (ON TXWY F) AND COME UP TO RWY 19R. I HEAR AN ACR Y DOWNFIELD CLRED TO CROSS RWY 19R AND I LOOK TO MY R AND SEE HIM. NOW ASSUMING RWY 19R IS NOT BEING USED, WE CROSS RWY 19R TO GET INTO THE LINE. WHILE XING THE RWY, THE CTLR ASKS WHO JUST CROSSED RWY 19R? I RPT ACR X. THE CTLR (NOW SOUNDING A LITTLE FRUSTRATED) TELLS US TO CONTINUE AHEAD TO TXWY H AND TURN L. HE THEN EXPLAINS HIS INTENTIONS WERE FOR US TO BYPASS THE LONG TAXI LINE AND GO RIGHT OUT AS WE WERE ONE OF JUST A FEW NBOUND ACFT WITHOUT IN-TRAIL DELAYS AS WERE THE EBOUND ACFT. WE CRANK UP #2 ENG AND HURRY DOWN TO RWY 7L. WE GO RIGHT OVER TO TWR FREQ AND GIVEN POS AND HOLD ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. WE THEN DEPART FOR SEA. WHILE AIRBORNE, THE FO AND I REVIEW WHAT HAPPENED. WE CONCLUDE WE CROSSED RWY 19R WITHOUT CLRNC, AND THAT IT WAS AN ACTIVE RWY. THERE WERE NO OTHER RPTS, COMMENTS, GAR'S, OR SUGGESTIONS BY ANY OTHER ACFT OR CTLRS.

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.