Air carrier flight crew reported landing aircraft had not cleared runway when they had started takeoff roll. Flight crew rejected takeoff and cleared runway.
Synopsis
Air carrier flight crew reported landing aircraft had not cleared runway when they had started takeoff roll. Flight crew rejected takeoff and cleared runway.
Narrative
Busy arrival traffic on XX; departures on Runway XY and XX. An aircraft was told line up and wait on XY. As an aircraft passed by us landing on XX; we were cleared to line up and wait on XX; 'do not plan on stopping on the Runway'; Tower Controller then gave landing aircraft exiting instructions; and then gave take off clearance to the aircraft on XY. Tower Controller then slowly gave us clearance for takeoff with a heading to fly and wind in a slightly slower than normal methodical cadence to allow the XY departing aircraft acceleration spacing. This is totally normal at this airport. As this was happening; we were focused on aligning with the Runway; the XY departing traffic and the spooling of the engines as well as the takeoff clearance with departure instructions; we heard a voice in the background of Tower Controller's transmission saying something to effect of 'No;No;No cancel.... with a garbled 'Company'.' As my FO and I were performing normal duties associated with this takeoff event that background voice caught our attention; I slowed my application of takeoff power while my FO queried the Tower. For a very short period of time my FO and the Tower Controller seemed to be stepping on each other on the radio. While all this was occurring; the Tower Controller told an aircraft on short final to XX to go around; we finally received clear communication from the Tower Controller to reject our takeoff; as I had already made the decision to reject the takeoff because I didn't want to get airborne and compete with airspace with the traffic on the go-around. As I was making this decision and rejecting the takeoff; the departing XY traffic had just cleared the XY/XX intersection and as my eyes further looked down the Runway of XX; I could see flashing strobes from the aircraft that landed on XX ahead of our takeoff and that aircraft had not cleared the landing Runway yet; which was the cause of us needing to reject our takeoff. All of this happened in a very short period of time; and at a very slow airspeed. I stopped the aircraft; made sure my FO was ok; we made sure we had clear instructions off the Runway; I made a short PA for everyone to remain seated and stand by. We taxied clear of the Runway; taxied back to XX and into the 'box' to get out of everyone's way. We then went through manual Chapter 5 for Rejected Takeoff and considerations as well as performed Performance Data calculations. I also communicated with the Passengers to what had happened. I then reached out to the F/A (Flight Attendants) to make sure they were ok. The Performance Data stated we had no brake cooling issues. FO and I discussed the data; made sure the automation was ready for another departure. Once again checked in with the F/A to make sure they were ok and the Passengers were ok. Made another PA we would be leaving shortly and told ATC we were ready. Once airborne we sent an ACARS message to Dispatch to notify them of the event and our actions.Suggestions: Under current acceptable hourly arrival departure rates at ZZZ nothing will change. This event was a simple human error mistake being focused on the Tower Controller handling too many irons; focused on the departing XY traffic spacing with us; the landing aircraft on short final and missing that the fact the previous landing traffic did not clear the runway as the Controller had planned.
Second reporter narrative
Departing Runway XX in ZZZ. As traffic landed and was rolling out on XX; Tower told us to line up and wait… be ready to go and don't plan on stopping. Traffic departing XY and traffic on a 2.5 mile final for XX." Captain took the Runway and had the engines spooling as we turned onto the Runway. Tower gave us a new clearance for heading and altitude along with clearance for takeoff. He was very slow and pausing as he gave the instructions because he was trying to time it as the aircraft departing XY cleared the intersection on departure. He seemed to be so focused on that departing aircraft that he failed to realize the aircraft rolling out on XX was not yet off the Runway when he cleared us for takeoff. We were unable to see the far end of our Runway until we completed the turn onto the Runway and begin our takeoff roll. As I started to key the mic; I heard a different Controller yelling "no no no" in the background and then I saw the strobes from the other aircraft on our Runway and heard Tower say "abort" and I also said "abort" as the Captain performed a very low speed RTO. Takeoff power was set; but we were still below 60 knots. We cleared the Runway onto Runway XY and taxied back to the hold box for XX to run brake cooling for the RTO. No cooling was required. We ran the Before Takeoff Checklist and departed uneventfully.Suggestions: More vigilance from ATC during very busy/congested airport operations. ATC was keeping everything extremely tight with departures and arrivals to the point of being too tight with zero room for error. A little more margin would have prevented this RTO from occurring."
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.