Narrative:

Holding short of runway 27R at intersection east; we were told to cross runway 27R by ground control. An aircraft was on final for runway 27R and on the tower frequency. Ground then told air carrier abc to hold short. We were air carrier air data computer. There was also another air carrier flight aec taxiing to the runway. As we were about to cross; the first officer queried ground control if he meant air carrier air data computer to hold short. He said yes; air carrier air data computer hold short. By that time our nose was over the hold line. We told ground control immediately. The aircraft was already going around. We saw the aircraft on final and could have made it across. It's extremely frustrating and I feel a safety issue to cross an active runway on a frequency other than the tower frequency for that runway. Had we been able to hear the conversation between the tower and the aircraft on final; we would have offered to hold short -- preventing their go around. Also; if ground control had called us by our correct flight number; we wouldn't have gotten across the hold short line. This has to be one of the last airports left that uses ground control for clearance to cross an active runway. We can't back each other up both on the ground or in-flight when on different frequencys -- especially at night or in IFR conditions when 'looking' for aircraft is limited. I strongly urge phl to change the way they use their frequencys.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW AT PHL IS INSTRUCTED TO CROSS AN ACTIVE RWY BY GND CTL RESULTING IN ANOTHER ACFT EXECUTING A GAR.

Narrative: HOLDING SHORT OF RWY 27R AT INTXN E; WE WERE TOLD TO CROSS RWY 27R BY GND CTL. AN ACFT WAS ON FINAL FOR RWY 27R AND ON THE TWR FREQ. GND THEN TOLD ACR ABC TO HOLD SHORT. WE WERE ACR ADC. THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER ACR FLT AEC TAXIING TO THE RWY. AS WE WERE ABOUT TO CROSS; THE FO QUERIED GND CTL IF HE MEANT ACR ADC TO HOLD SHORT. HE SAID YES; ACR ADC HOLD SHORT. BY THAT TIME OUR NOSE WAS OVER THE HOLD LINE. WE TOLD GND CTL IMMEDIATELY. THE ACFT WAS ALREADY GOING AROUND. WE SAW THE ACFT ON FINAL AND COULD HAVE MADE IT ACROSS. IT'S EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING AND I FEEL A SAFETY ISSUE TO CROSS AN ACTIVE RWY ON A FREQ OTHER THAN THE TWR FREQ FOR THAT RWY. HAD WE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR THE CONVERSATION BTWN THE TWR AND THE ACFT ON FINAL; WE WOULD HAVE OFFERED TO HOLD SHORT -- PREVENTING THEIR GAR. ALSO; IF GND CTL HAD CALLED US BY OUR CORRECT FLT NUMBER; WE WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN ACROSS THE HOLD SHORT LINE. THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF THE LAST ARPTS LEFT THAT USES GND CTL FOR CLRNC TO CROSS AN ACTIVE RWY. WE CAN'T BACK EACH OTHER UP BOTH ON THE GND OR INFLT WHEN ON DIFFERENT FREQS -- ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT OR IN IFR CONDITIONS WHEN 'LOOKING' FOR ACFT IS LIMITED. I STRONGLY URGE PHL TO CHANGE THE WAY THEY USE THEIR FREQS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.