Narrative:

Assigned parking gate ZZZ via spot zz. ACARS message noted tow in. Contacted ramp control approaching taxiway zz and cleared in. Instructed to hold short of drive lane. Aircraft stopped prior to taxi line for gate ZZZ facing west; brake set; taxi light off. After some time; tug refused to approach the aircraft and began to flash lights to indicate they wanted additional action from the crew prior to hook up. After consultation between crew members we elected to position the aircraft to facilitate a tow that the tug crew was willing to accommodate. After further review; it appears we should have held position until the tug crew approached the aircraft in its previous orientation.causes were a combination of ambiguous instructions from ramp tower and a failure of the flight crew to clarify. Flight crew should have done a more detailed review of parking notes to ensure that all procedures were adhered to. Compounding the error was a tug crew that insisted on using non standard communication (flashing lights to message the crew). Suggest crews review and follow jepps parking notes irrespective of outside influences.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An air carrier flight crew reported confusion during transition from taxi-in to tug hook up for the final pull-in to the gate. The tug crew's actions; incomplete instructions from Ramp Tower as to parking instructions; and fatigue contributed to the crew's confusion. In addition; the crew did not follow published procedures for parking at the assigned gate.

Narrative: Assigned parking gate ZZZ via spot ZZ. ACARS message noted tow in. Contacted ramp control approaching Taxiway ZZ and cleared in. Instructed to hold short of drive lane. Aircraft stopped prior to taxi line for gate ZZZ facing west; brake set; taxi light off. After some time; tug refused to approach the aircraft and began to flash lights to indicate they wanted additional action from the crew prior to hook up. After consultation between crew members we elected to position the aircraft to facilitate a tow that the tug crew was willing to accommodate. After further review; it appears we should have held position until the tug crew approached the aircraft in its previous orientation.Causes were a combination of ambiguous instructions from ramp tower and a failure of the flight crew to clarify. Flight crew should have done a more detailed review of parking notes to ensure that all procedures were adhered to. Compounding the error was a tug crew that insisted on using non standard communication (flashing lights to message the crew). Suggest crews review and follow Jepps parking notes irrespective of outside influences.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.