POTENTIAL CONFLICT. ACR GETS A FRANTIC HDG CHANGE FROM A CTLR WHO FORGOT THAT ANOTHER AIRLINER WAS INBOUND TO THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. OPERROR.

Narrative

TKOF RWY 30L AUS AT XA36 CST. AT 300 FT AGL TURNED R TO 315 DEGS TO INTERCEPT AUS 290 DEG RADIAL. AFTER FLAPS UP; AND SLAT RETRACT AT 1500 FT AGL; TWR YELLED; 'OUR CALL SIGN; TURN TO HDG 230 DEGS.' THE URGENCY AND HIGH VOLUME OF THE COMMAND; I IMMEDIATELY STARTED INTO A 30 DEG ANGLE BANK TO THE L. DIRECTLY IN FRONT; AND SLIGHTLY BELOW (ABOUT 1 MI); ZOOMED ANOTHER AIRLINES 737. A SPLIT SECOND THOUGHT FLASHED THROUGH MY MIND: 'WE'RE TURNING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.' THE NEXT SPLIT SECOND THOUGHT WAS; 'I DON'T KNOW WHY THE TWR TOLD US TO TURN L; AS THERE ARE OTHER RWYS IN AUSTIN;' AND KEPT UP MY L TURN. THE TCASII WENT OFF (AMBER TA) 'TFC; TFC.' I WAS TOO BUSY HAND FLYING THE PLANE AND LOOKING OUT THE COCKPIT WINDOW TO REALLY DETERMINE IF THE TFC WAS ABOVE OR BELOW; SO KEPT EVERYTHING THE SAME. NO MORE TCASII WARNINGS WENT OFF (TA OR RA). THE TWR OPERATOR THEN YELLED; 'ANOTHER AIRLINE XXX? ABORT! ABORT YOUR TKOF!' AGAIN HE SAID; 'ANOTHER AIRLINE XXX? ABORT YOUR TKOF AND CLR THE RWY (30L).' THE TWR THEN BLURTED OUT; 'I FORGOT THAT I CLRED YOUR COMPANY ACFT TO LAND ON RWY 12R (SAME RWY).' NOW; WE THINK THE FIRST ANOTHER AIRLINE'S 737 DOVE UNDER US; AND LINED UP TO LAND. HEAD ON TO THE SECOND ANOTHER AIRLINE'S 737 WHO HAD BEEN CLRED FOR TKOF. THERE WERE NO FURTHER RADIO XMISSIONS BY ANYONE! AN OLDER; CALMER; AND EXPERIENCED TWR VOICE THEN CLRED US; 'TURN TO HDG 320 DEGS AND INTERCEPT THE AUS 290 DEG RADIAL; SWITCH TO DEP FREQ XXX.YY.' THIS ONLY THE LATEST FIASCO WE'VE SEEN ANOTHER AIRLINE'S AIRLINE BE INVOLVED IN. XWIND TKOFS AND LNDGS; TAILWIND TKOFS AND LNDGS; HURRY! HURRY! HURRY! THEIR CORPORATE AND PLT PAY/SPD INCENTIVES ARE GOING TO CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT VERY SOON. THEY ARE RIDING ON THE KNIFE EDGE OF SAFE AIRLINE OPS. POSSIBLE TWR OPERATOR TRAINING; LETTING A PLANE LAND AGAINST THE DUTY RWY TKOF FLOW; AND NOT SENDING THIS FIRST OFFENDING ACFT ON A NON CONFLICT HDG AND CLB MADE FOR A 3-PLANE RIASCO. IT ALL HAPPENED VERY FAST; WITH LITTLE MARGIN FOR ALTERNATE ACTIONS. THE TWR WAS AT FAULT.