Narrative:

ZLA cleared us direct gramm; cross gramm at FL180. Passing gramm; without further clearance; we queried ZLA; whose response was to contact socal on XXX frequency. We switched; were cleared for the civet profile; no runway specified. As we assumed we would get the flight plan request; we flew the runway 25L transition. Inside civet; now in an expedited descent to make taroc below 9700 ft due to the late handoff by ZLA; we were switched to yet another socal frequency; who asked us why we were not transitioning to runway 24R. As PF; I heading selected to the right; away from runway 25L; and brought up the runway 24R transition on the FMC. During this transition to runway 24R; I allowed the aircraft to descend below 9000 ft at decor. Upon recognizing the deviation; I disconnected the autoplt and manually corrected back to 9000 ft. I subsequently reengaged the autoplt for an uneventful approach and landing. ATC did not comment on the altitude deviation; which was around 1200 ft. It is common to receive a very late clearance for the profile from ATC; but it seems there was a missed handoff by center this time with no other instructions. As the next controller cleared us for the profile (without specifying runway); and subsequently we were switched to another frequency; who obviously expected us to be on a different track and expressed so with urgency; I rushed to comply and subsequently missed the similar altitude off the north side. About the only thing I will do next time is to ask which transition to expect prior to arriving over gramm. Don't feel we received much of any service from either socal or ZLA; and fortunately conditions were VMC.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CAPT REPORTS RUNWAY ASSIGNMENT CONFUSION ON ARRIVAL TO LAX.

Narrative: ZLA CLRED US DIRECT GRAMM; CROSS GRAMM AT FL180. PASSING GRAMM; WITHOUT FURTHER CLRNC; WE QUERIED ZLA; WHOSE RESPONSE WAS TO CONTACT SOCAL ON XXX FREQ. WE SWITCHED; WERE CLRED FOR THE CIVET PROFILE; NO RWY SPECIFIED. AS WE ASSUMED WE WOULD GET THE FLT PLAN REQUEST; WE FLEW THE RWY 25L TRANSITION. INSIDE CIVET; NOW IN AN EXPEDITED DSCNT TO MAKE TAROC BELOW 9700 FT DUE TO THE LATE HDOF BY ZLA; WE WERE SWITCHED TO YET ANOTHER SOCAL FREQ; WHO ASKED US WHY WE WERE NOT TRANSITIONING TO RWY 24R. AS PF; I HDG SELECTED TO THE R; AWAY FROM RWY 25L; AND BROUGHT UP THE RWY 24R TRANSITION ON THE FMC. DURING THIS TRANSITION TO RWY 24R; I ALLOWED THE ACFT TO DSND BELOW 9000 FT AT DECOR. UPON RECOGNIZING THE DEV; I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND MANUALLY CORRECTED BACK TO 9000 FT. I SUBSEQUENTLY REENGAGED THE AUTOPLT FOR AN UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG. ATC DID NOT COMMENT ON THE ALTDEV; WHICH WAS AROUND 1200 FT. IT IS COMMON TO RECEIVE A VERY LATE CLRNC FOR THE PROFILE FROM ATC; BUT IT SEEMS THERE WAS A MISSED HDOF BY CTR THIS TIME WITH NO OTHER INSTRUCTIONS. AS THE NEXT CTLR CLRED US FOR THE PROFILE (WITHOUT SPECIFYING RWY); AND SUBSEQUENTLY WE WERE SWITCHED TO ANOTHER FREQ; WHO OBVIOUSLY EXPECTED US TO BE ON A DIFFERENT TRACK AND EXPRESSED SO WITH URGENCY; I RUSHED TO COMPLY AND SUBSEQUENTLY MISSED THE SIMILAR ALT OFF THE N SIDE. ABOUT THE ONLY THING I WILL DO NEXT TIME IS TO ASK WHICH TRANSITION TO EXPECT PRIOR TO ARRIVING OVER GRAMM. DON'T FEEL WE RECEIVED MUCH OF ANY SVC FROM EITHER SOCAL OR ZLA; AND FORTUNATELY CONDITIONS WERE VMC.

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.