Date: 201901
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: LRD.Airport, TX
Flight conditions: VMC
Weather elements / visibility: 5
Light: Night
Aircraft: Large Transport
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Taxi
ATC / advisory: Ground LRD
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Flying
Human factors: Confusion; Situational Awareness
Second reporter function: Captain; Pilot Not Flying
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Incursion Taxiway
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: Taxi
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Contributing factors: Chart Or Publication; Airport; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure; Human Factors
Primary problem: Airport

Narrative: The event occurred while departing from LRD. The Captain was the Pilot Monitoring and the First officer was the Pilot Flying. The Captain was taxiing the aircraft. We called LRD Ground for taxi. We thought our taxi instructions were to taxi A; cross Runway 14; G; L and hold short Runway 18R. The instructions did not make sense to us because Taxiway A was closed between our location and the direction we had to taxi. I replied back to ground; 'Taxi E; G; cross runway14; L; to and hold short of 18R.' Ground responded back; 'Roger.' We discussed the miscommunication between ourselves and decided there was no way ATC wanted us to taxi on A because it was NOTAMed closed and we could clearly see the barricades right in front of us. Furthermore; we had been there [a few] days prior and the taxi instructions were E; G; cross 14; L to 18R which made sense since taxiway A was closed.The ramp also had aircraft parked and no taxiways to guide us other than Taxiway A. We started our taxi to 18R via E; G. Once we made our turn onto Taxiway G ground asked where we were going; with an immense amount of hostility and irritability. The Captain immediately stopped our taxi. The ATC controller then said your taxi instructions were Taxi A to G; not E to G. I replied back 'A was closed on the part of the ramp we were on.' Ground replied 'you should have taxied on the open ramp beside the closed part of Taxiway A.' That thought never entered our mind; to taxi on a relatively unlit; unmarked ramp around a closed portion of Taxiway A and to pick Taxiway A on the other side of the construction. We apologized for the confusion and asked him what he would like us to do. He then told us to continue taxi on G to 18R. In hindsight; we should have double checked with Ground Control about the taxi instructions which did not make sense and seemed unsafe given that we had no knowledge of the condition of the ramp and no other information about taxiing around the closed taxiway.We were the only aircraft taxiing on the airport at the time with no potential taxi conflict. I recommend better guidance concerning taxiing on the open ramp to mitigate future confusion. If Taxiway E to G is operational that should also be the recommended taxi to either 18R/36L given Taxiway A closure. Also; I should have filed this report within 24 hours of the incident but got distracted with life when I got home.


Second narrative: [Report narrative contained no additional information.]


Synopsis: A flight crew reported they misunderstood ATC taxi instructions due to a taxiway closure.