Narrative:

Upon clearing runway 27R at phl airport we started a right turn onto taxiway a, as we were contacting ground. We were to enter 'C' concourse, at gate. No other aircraft were departing a gate or taxiing anywhere near B, C, or D concourses. Recently, new entry and exit numbered points were included in the taxi clrncs. Not paying close attention to the points, gate was easily convenient by a right turn on taxiway a and crossing point 5. Correcting our planned turn, ground stated we should have turned left and planned point 4. Our right turn on taxiway a prevented this and we were made to enter far down at point 6. So absurd! I am aware that these confusing taxi entry and exit points are due to the local authority/authorized plans and not FAA territory. I am writing this note as to speak my thoughts as to the illogical ramp control as to my view. Only at phl are there hard to understand ramp procedures and reasons for delaying air traffic progression. It would appear appropriate for the local port authority/authorized to review other airport ramp procedures. This discontent is shared with numerous other air crews. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: beginning this month, a major air carrier was given control of the ramp and taxiway south between taxiway B and taxiway right. They are the agency that designates which ramp control spot is inbound, outbound or both. The reporter apparently turned right from X to a from habit and, spot 5 being an outbound had to pass it to go to spot 6. Third party callback to controller served to describe the system while the reporter himself really did not understand it. The controller believes it to be a good system that expedites ground traffic and avoids confusion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WHY HE WAS FORCED TO TAKE A ROUNDABOUT RTE TO HIS GATE.

Narrative: UPON CLRING RWY 27R AT PHL ARPT WE STARTED A R TURN ONTO TXWY A, AS WE WERE CONTACTING GND. WE WERE TO ENTER 'C' CONCOURSE, AT GATE. NO OTHER ACFT WERE DEPARTING A GATE OR TAXIING ANYWHERE NEAR B, C, OR D CONCOURSES. RECENTLY, NEW ENTRY AND EXIT NUMBERED POINTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE TAXI CLRNCS. NOT PAYING CLOSE ATTN TO THE POINTS, GATE WAS EASILY CONVENIENT BY A R TURN ON TXWY A AND XING POINT 5. CORRECTING OUR PLANNED TURN, GND STATED WE SHOULD HAVE TURNED L AND PLANNED POINT 4. OUR R TURN ON TXWY A PREVENTED THIS AND WE WERE MADE TO ENTER FAR DOWN AT POINT 6. SO ABSURD! I AM AWARE THAT THESE CONFUSING TAXI ENTRY AND EXIT POINTS ARE DUE TO THE LCL AUTH PLANS AND NOT FAA TERRITORY. I AM WRITING THIS NOTE AS TO SPEAK MY THOUGHTS AS TO THE ILLOGICAL RAMP CTL AS TO MY VIEW. ONLY AT PHL ARE THERE HARD TO UNDERSTAND RAMP PROCS AND REASONS FOR DELAYING AIR TFC PROGRESSION. IT WOULD APPEAR APPROPRIATE FOR THE LCL PORT AUTH TO REVIEW OTHER ARPT RAMP PROCS. THIS DISCONTENT IS SHARED WITH NUMEROUS OTHER AIR CREWS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: BEGINNING THIS MONTH, A MAJOR ACR WAS GIVEN CTL OF THE RAMP AND TXWY S BTWN TXWY B AND TXWY R. THEY ARE THE AGENCY THAT DESIGNATES WHICH RAMP CTL SPOT IS INBOUND, OUTBOUND OR BOTH. THE RPTR APPARENTLY TURNED R FROM X TO A FROM HABIT AND, SPOT 5 BEING AN OUTBOUND HAD TO PASS IT TO GO TO SPOT 6. THIRD PARTY CALLBACK TO CTLR SERVED TO DESCRIBE THE SYS WHILE THE RPTR HIMSELF REALLY DID NOT UNDERSTAND IT. THE CTLR BELIEVES IT TO BE A GOOD SYS THAT EXPEDITES GND TFC AND AVOIDS CONFUSION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.