Narrative:

We were told for pushback to 'give way to the metropolitan' that would be taxiing behind us. We relayed the message to the pushback crew. The crew cavalierly acknowledged and pushed back anyway. Ground reminded us what our instructions were. We reiterated these instructions and were told by the ground crew that it was ok and that we'd clear the metropolitan. At no time did the tug crew stop or even slow down the tug. No attempt was made to follow the instructions of the captain. As the WX was 200 ft indefinite and 1/4 mi in fog, compliance with ATC ground instructions would be essential to safe operations. (As well as legal considerations under far 91.123 (a) to be specific). At our airline, the rampers and tug operations are trained to believe that they are in charge of the aircraft while it is on the ground. This has long been a bone of contention between flcs and ground personnel and will finally be resolved when certificate action is taken or when something gets broken.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GND TUG VEHICLE OPERATOR CONTINUED 'PUSHBACK' AFTER BEING ADVISED 2 TIMES THAT TWR REQUESTED FLT TO GIVE WAY TO ANOTHER ACFT.

Narrative: WE WERE TOLD FOR PUSHBACK TO 'GIVE WAY TO THE METRO' THAT WOULD BE TAXIING BEHIND US. WE RELAYED THE MESSAGE TO THE PUSHBACK CREW. THE CREW CAVALIERLY ACKNOWLEDGED AND PUSHED BACK ANYWAY. GND REMINDED US WHAT OUR INSTRUCTIONS WERE. WE REITERATED THESE INSTRUCTIONS AND WERE TOLD BY THE GND CREW THAT IT WAS OK AND THAT WE'D CLR THE METRO. AT NO TIME DID THE TUG CREW STOP OR EVEN SLOW DOWN THE TUG. NO ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE CAPT. AS THE WX WAS 200 FT INDEFINITE AND 1/4 MI IN FOG, COMPLIANCE WITH ATC GND INSTRUCTIONS WOULD BE ESSENTIAL TO SAFE OPS. (AS WELL AS LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS UNDER FAR 91.123 (A) TO BE SPECIFIC). AT OUR AIRLINE, THE RAMPERS AND TUG OPS ARE TRAINED TO BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE IN CHARGE OF THE ACFT WHILE IT IS ON THE GND. THIS HAS LONG BEEN A BONE OF CONTENTION BTWN FLCS AND GND PERSONNEL AND WILL FINALLY BE RESOLVED WHEN CERTIFICATE ACTION IS TAKEN OR WHEN SOMETHING GETS BROKEN.

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.