Date: 201508
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: PHL.TRACON, PA
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class B PHL
ATC / advisory: TRACON PHL
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Procedure; Airspace Structure
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: We were on the JIIMS Two RNAV arrival to Runway 26 at PHL via the BRIGS transition from BDL. Just prior to JIIMS the female ( I use the term female for the purpose of identification only; the archive had a male and female controller paired up talking over each other on the recording) controller assigned us direct to BEELZ and to resume the arrival; cutting the corner. Just prior to BEELZ we were given another clearance to cut that corner direct to WOJIK.  Halfway to WOJIK the controller told us to turn thirty degrees to the left because we were getting too close to the Jump Zone. We were then asked by ATC if we were on the arrival. I got on the radio at that time and told her 'we were on the arrival but she had cleared us direct to WOJIK. After we had flown past the jump zone without any traffic conflict we were cleared direct to WOJIK to resume the arrival.  We continued the flight without further incident.The controller was handling another Company flight (this flight number contains three of the numbers in our flight number). I tried to listen to the archive to see if we had perhaps taken a clearance that was meant for that flight; but I could only hear the incident in question and our clearance to BEELZ. I could not find the clearance to WOJIK on the archive. I could hear the other controller talking over the female controller handling us. I suspect that the controller was confused and didn't realize she had cut the corners over the jump zone. I don't know if this incident violated any FAR's. The FO (First Officer) and I thought we were following all clearances as they were given to us (SOP). The incident was a moment of confusion that could have been the result of a mistake on our part. As a crew we decided to bring this incident into the open to resolve any mistakes that could have been made.I understand that similar call signs ending in the same number can cause confusion. We do the best we can to trap these errors with vigilance. In this case I don't know if I was not vigilant or if the controller simply made a mistake. Going forward I will attempt to maintain my situational awareness and question all clearances that cut the corners over the Cross Keys Jump Zone. As a crew were should have been more aware of the jump zone. We should have known that arrival brings us safely around the jump zone. It would be great if ATC could just keep us on the arrival eliminating the potential for error completely.




Synopsis: CRJ200 Captain reports being given shortcuts on the JIIMS2 RNAV from over BRIGS then given a heading and queried if he is on the arrival. The arrival is designed to avoid a skydiving area. Another company flight with a similar flight number was also on the arrival.