Narrative:

We were approaching lax via the seavu 1 arrival. Initially; we were cleared to konzl at 17000 ft MSL; maintain 250 KTS. Once handed over to socal; we were cleared to 10000 ft MSL; maintain 250 KTS. Approaching seavu; we were given the clearance to descend via the seavu 1 arrival for runway 24R. I was the pilot monitoring and read back the clearance. The captain (PF) and I both were confident our clearance was for runway 24R. As we passed luvyn; on our way to shurl; socal then asked if we had begun our turn for runway 25R. I replied that we were headed for runway 24R. Socal then gave guidance to start our turn for runway 25R; cleared ILS runway 25R. The captain immediately corrected with a left turn. At this point we changed frequencys to another socal frequency. As we began to get stabilized on the runway 25R localizer; socal advised us; 'this will really confuse you now; we are switching runways on you again; intercept the localizer for runway 25L; the frequency is 109.9.' we were able to intercept the localizer; stabilize in a timely manner and were comfortably set on the approach well prior to the final approach fix. We checked in with tower and were cleared to land runway 25L. The approach and landing were uneventful. The radios were very busy. Runways were switched for multiple flts arriving into lax. There were numerous 'editorial comments' regarding how busy the controllers were working ('take the week off with pay') etc. Socal seemed very comfortable with our change from runway 24R; to runway 25R; to runway 25L. We quickly and appropriately responded to all clrncs. There were no traffic calls or TCAS concerns; and all radio participants were calm; cool; and collected. The reason for the submission of this report is to communicate our concerns regarding multiple runway changes in a dynamic class B airspace. With similar sounding runways; aircrews and controllers must be especially vigilant and proactive; ensuring all parties understand clrncs and are prepared for last minute changes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW RECEIVES MULTIPLE CHANGES TO RWY ASSIGNMENT DURING SEAVU 1 INTO LAX; WHICH THE FLT CREW COMPLY WITH.

Narrative: WE WERE APCHING LAX VIA THE SEAVU 1 ARR. INITIALLY; WE WERE CLRED TO KONZL AT 17000 FT MSL; MAINTAIN 250 KTS. ONCE HANDED OVER TO SOCAL; WE WERE CLRED TO 10000 FT MSL; MAINTAIN 250 KTS. APCHING SEAVU; WE WERE GIVEN THE CLRNC TO DSND VIA THE SEAVU 1 ARR FOR RWY 24R. I WAS THE PLT MONITORING AND READ BACK THE CLRNC. THE CAPT (PF) AND I BOTH WERE CONFIDENT OUR CLRNC WAS FOR RWY 24R. AS WE PASSED LUVYN; ON OUR WAY TO SHURL; SOCAL THEN ASKED IF WE HAD BEGUN OUR TURN FOR RWY 25R. I REPLIED THAT WE WERE HEADED FOR RWY 24R. SOCAL THEN GAVE GUIDANCE TO START OUR TURN FOR RWY 25R; CLRED ILS RWY 25R. THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED WITH A L TURN. AT THIS POINT WE CHANGED FREQS TO ANOTHER SOCAL FREQ. AS WE BEGAN TO GET STABILIZED ON THE RWY 25R LOC; SOCAL ADVISED US; 'THIS WILL REALLY CONFUSE YOU NOW; WE ARE SWITCHING RWYS ON YOU AGAIN; INTERCEPT THE LOC FOR RWY 25L; THE FREQ IS 109.9.' WE WERE ABLE TO INTERCEPT THE LOC; STABILIZE IN A TIMELY MANNER AND WERE COMFORTABLY SET ON THE APCH WELL PRIOR TO THE FINAL APCH FIX. WE CHKED IN WITH TWR AND WERE CLRED TO LAND RWY 25L. THE APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. THE RADIOS WERE VERY BUSY. RWYS WERE SWITCHED FOR MULTIPLE FLTS ARRIVING INTO LAX. THERE WERE NUMEROUS 'EDITORIAL COMMENTS' REGARDING HOW BUSY THE CTLRS WERE WORKING ('TAKE THE WEEK OFF WITH PAY') ETC. SOCAL SEEMED VERY COMFORTABLE WITH OUR CHANGE FROM RWY 24R; TO RWY 25R; TO RWY 25L. WE QUICKLY AND APPROPRIATELY RESPONDED TO ALL CLRNCS. THERE WERE NO TFC CALLS OR TCAS CONCERNS; AND ALL RADIO PARTICIPANTS WERE CALM; COOL; AND COLLECTED. THE REASON FOR THE SUBMISSION OF THIS RPT IS TO COMMUNICATE OUR CONCERNS REGARDING MULTIPLE RWY CHANGES IN A DYNAMIC CLASS B AIRSPACE. WITH SIMILAR SOUNDING RWYS; AIRCREWS AND CTLRS MUST BE ESPECIALLY VIGILANT AND PROACTIVE; ENSURING ALL PARTIES UNDERSTAND CLRNCS AND ARE PREPARED FOR LAST MINUTE CHANGES.

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.