A flight deck communication and display system (100) for displaying a modified flight plan transmitted to an aircraft (224) is described including a processor (104) adapted to receive (i) data representative of a current aircraft flight plan (218, 228) and (ii) a textual message representative of the modified flight plan (218′, 228′) and operable, in response thereto, to supply a flight plan display command, and a modified flight plan display command, and comparing the textual clearance message with factors affecting aircraft safety to supply an alert message display command (204). A display (108) coupled to receive the flight plan display command, the modified flight plan display command, the alert message display command is operable, in response thereto, to substantially simultaneously display (308) (i) an image representative of the current aircraft flight plan, (ii) the textual clearance message, (iii) the modified flight plan, and (iv) an alert message indicating whether there are any safety concerns related to the textual air traffic modified flight plan.