Date: 201811
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: STL.Airport, MO
Flight conditions: Marginal
Weather elements / visibility: 4
Light: Dusk
Aircraft: Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Ferry / Re-Positioning
Flight phase: Climb
Airspace: Class B STL
ATC / advisory: Tower STL
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Workload
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Detector: Person Flight Crew; Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Contributing factors: Procedure; Human Factors; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings
Primary problem: Procedure

Narrative: The FO (First Officer) and I were scheduled to ferry Aircraft X back to ZZZ. We had received our release from dispatch and started getting the aircraft ready. We received PDC (Pre-Departure Clearance) via ACARS and we both verified it to our paperwork and to the FMS. Once we were ready for pushback we called metering and received our push clearance. After we pushed back we then received taxi clearance from ground to taxi to 29 via C; cross Runway 6; then T to 29. Once we reached 29 and finished the 'Before Take Off' check we told tower that we were ready for departure. STL tower cleared us 'RNAV to HAGEE; cleared for takeoff 29'. Once airborne we contacted departure. When we made contact with departure the controller said that he had no information on our flight. He stated that it is becoming a common occurrence out of STL. He told us that we would basically have to file with him in the air. This caused a lot of confusion for the controller. This confusion lasted until we contacted the center controller and that's when they got it figured out and got us on our flight plan. The threat here was that STL tower; for some reason; did not pass along our flight info to departure and we were airborne without any flight plan information which caused ATC a lot of confusion and time to figure out a plan for us. This had the potential to be a bigger problem if ATC was busy. The FO and I both verified the PDC with the paperwork and what we had programmed into the FMS. We both understood our pushback; taxi and takeoff clearances. This occurrence happened because somehow there was no communication with STL tower and the rest of ATC. How did we get a PDC; taxi and takeoff clearance if ATC didn't have our flight plan information?

Callback: Captain responded that this was an isolated situation that no other crews have reported. Captain stated that ATC departure stated that this is becoming a common occurrence out of STL. Captain also notified dispatch; since they received their clearance through ACARS; who stated that they never had this occur.



Synopsis: Regional Captain reported clearance information was not processed from STL tower to the NAS (National Airspace System) resulting in crew filing while airborne.