Narrative:

During flight hnl-syd at approximately atras on arwy B474 at FL350, we requested FL370. Nandi shortly replied with '370 non standard,' to which we rogered (assuming 370 to not be available). After reporting over bebod at FL350 nandi requested our flight level and informed us that we had been cleared to FL370 at XA17Z. Apparently they took our 'roger' as acceptance of a clearance. They did not ask us to report leaving/reaching, etc. (A NOTAM re: non standard levels not being available from auckland also contributed to our misinterp of the message we received as being an advisory, not a clearance.) no other traffic was observed during the period. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: when questioned, reporter agreed that it was likely that due to poor reception on HF radio, they were issued a clearance to climb to FL370 along with the added information that '...FL370 is non standard.' they only heard the part about FL370 being non standard. They rogered this information. There was a NOTAM issued by akl (a graphic on second officer report) that stated that non standard altitudes would not be utilized, only block altitudes would be issued. Reporter took the transmission they heard to mean that nandi also would not issue non standard altitudes. He also mentioned that the nandi controllers are very terse and that there is a language barrier. He believes they are french. Supplemental information from acn 95602: if we were cleared to FL370, we would have reported to nandi 'out of FL350 for FL370,' and also reaching FL370. Nandi never asked for these calls.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT DID NOT RECEIVE CLRNC TO CLIMB FROM FL350 TO FL370.

Narrative: DURING FLT HNL-SYD AT APPROX ATRAS ON ARWY B474 AT FL350, WE REQUESTED FL370. NANDI SHORTLY REPLIED WITH '370 NON STANDARD,' TO WHICH WE ROGERED (ASSUMING 370 TO NOT BE AVAILABLE). AFTER RPTING OVER BEBOD AT FL350 NANDI REQUESTED OUR FLT LEVEL AND INFORMED US THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO FL370 AT XA17Z. APPARENTLY THEY TOOK OUR 'ROGER' AS ACCEPTANCE OF A CLRNC. THEY DID NOT ASK US TO RPT LEAVING/REACHING, ETC. (A NOTAM RE: NON STANDARD LEVELS NOT BEING AVAILABLE FROM AUCKLAND ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO OUR MISINTERP OF THE MESSAGE WE RECEIVED AS BEING AN ADVISORY, NOT A CLRNC.) NO OTHER TFC WAS OBSERVED DURING THE PERIOD. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: WHEN QUESTIONED, RPTR AGREED THAT IT WAS LIKELY THAT DUE TO POOR RECEPTION ON HF RADIO, THEY WERE ISSUED A CLRNC TO CLB TO FL370 ALONG WITH THE ADDED INFO THAT '...FL370 IS NON STANDARD.' THEY ONLY HEARD THE PART ABOUT FL370 BEING NON STANDARD. THEY ROGERED THIS INFO. THERE WAS A NOTAM ISSUED BY AKL (A GRAPHIC ON S/O RPT) THAT STATED THAT NON STANDARD ALTS WOULD NOT BE UTILIZED, ONLY BLOCK ALTS WOULD BE ISSUED. RPTR TOOK THE XMISSION THEY HEARD TO MEAN THAT NANDI ALSO WOULD NOT ISSUE NON STANDARD ALTS. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE NANDI CTLRS ARE VERY TERSE AND THAT THERE IS A LANGUAGE BARRIER. HE BELIEVES THEY ARE FRENCH. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 95602: IF WE WERE CLRED TO FL370, WE WOULD HAVE RPTED TO NANDI 'OUT OF FL350 FOR FL370,' AND ALSO REACHING FL370. NANDI NEVER ASKED FOR THESE CALLS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.