ALTDEV. MISCOM BTWN ATC AND FLC.

Narrative

WE WERE ENRTE FROM LGA TO PBI AND DSNDING FROM FL350 TO FL240. WE WERE THEN GIVEN CROSS 30 MI N OF PBI AT 8000 FT. THIS ASSIGNMENT COINCIDED WITH THE SURFN 7 ARR WHICH INDICATED EXPECT SWOMP AT 8000 FT. (SWOMP IS 30 MI FROM PBI). WE REACHED 8000 FT AND REQUESTED A R DEV FOR WX WHICH WAS GRANTED AND WE WERE TOLD TO GO DIRECT PBI WHEN ABLE. THEN MIAMI CALLED US AND ASKED IF WE WERE ASSIGNED 9000 FT. WE ANSWERED NO; WE WERE ASSIGNED 8000 FT. WE WERE GIVEN A R TURN TO 270 DEGS FOR TFC. WE SAW THE TFC ON THE TCASII (HE WAS 1000 FT ABOVE US AND NOT CLBING OR DSNDING); WE THEN WERE CLRED DIRECT PBI. ON DEP FROM PBI WE WERE CONTACTED BY ZMA AND ASKED TO CALL THE WATCH SUPVR. THE CTLR ALSO TOLD US THAT THE TAPE SHOWED WE WERE CLRED TO 8000 FT AT 30 N OF PBI; BUT LATER TOLD TO STOP AT 9000 FT; BUT OUR REPLY DID NOT CONFIRM RECEIPT OF THE 9000 FT COM. IN FACT; THE CTLR SAID THE ONLY THING ON THE TAPE WAS AN ALTIMETER SETTING READBACK. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT CLT WE CALLED AND SPOKE WITH MS X OF ATC WHO CONFIRMED WE NEVER RESPONDED OR CONFIRMED TO ANY ASSIGNMENT OF ALT OTHER THAN 8000 FT.