Narrative:

In sum: passenger left behind. Refusal to return jetbridge to plane. The flight was oversold with west and X jumpseat riders standing by as well. But through coordination with loads, the agents appeared to be willing to fill all the seats. At departure time, the ground crew advised we would be delayed 5-10 mins for bags. At XA25 local, the agent backed the jetbridge away from the aircraft to a distance of 7-10 ft, making it difficult to communication with her through my sliding window. I asked if she got everyone on and she replied that all seats were full but 3 passenger had volunteered to take the next flight. At this time, the flight attendant advised that there was 1 open seat in coach, so I asked the agent to bring the bridge back to put on 1 of the oversales. She refused and got on the phone to someone. Once off the phone, she informed me the person in control of the flight would not allow the passenger to be put on the flight. After several futile attempts to explain our bag delay I finally yelled 'I can't go anywhere without a final bag light.' she responded that she did not care to stand there and be yelled at. She then departed the jetbridge for the terminal leaving us without an agent on the jetbridge for at least 5 mins before we pushed back. I believe that is in violation of flight manual part 1, page 5-12, not to mention jeopardizing the safety of my passenger and crew should an emergency evacuate/evacuation have been necessary during that time frame. Since I was obviously not in control of this flight, who did have the authority/authorized to waste 300 dollars when it did not adversely affect the on-time performance of the flight and in fact created a 12 min takeoff delay due to having an incorrect passenger count on load closeout.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IMPROPER DEP PROCS.

Narrative: IN SUM: PAX LEFT BEHIND. REFUSAL TO RETURN JETBRIDGE TO PLANE. THE FLT WAS OVERSOLD WITH W AND X JUMPSEAT RIDERS STANDING BY AS WELL. BUT THROUGH COORD WITH LOADS, THE AGENTS APPEARED TO BE WILLING TO FILL ALL THE SEATS. AT DEP TIME, THE GND CREW ADVISED WE WOULD BE DELAYED 5-10 MINS FOR BAGS. AT XA25 LCL, THE AGENT BACKED THE JETBRIDGE AWAY FROM THE ACFT TO A DISTANCE OF 7-10 FT, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO COM WITH HER THROUGH MY SLIDING WINDOW. I ASKED IF SHE GOT EVERYONE ON AND SHE REPLIED THAT ALL SEATS WERE FULL BUT 3 PAX HAD VOLUNTEERED TO TAKE THE NEXT FLT. AT THIS TIME, THE FLT ATTENDANT ADVISED THAT THERE WAS 1 OPEN SEAT IN COACH, SO I ASKED THE AGENT TO BRING THE BRIDGE BACK TO PUT ON 1 OF THE OVERSALES. SHE REFUSED AND GOT ON THE PHONE TO SOMEONE. ONCE OFF THE PHONE, SHE INFORMED ME THE PERSON IN CTL OF THE FLT WOULD NOT ALLOW THE PAX TO BE PUT ON THE FLT. AFTER SEVERAL FUTILE ATTEMPTS TO EXPLAIN OUR BAG DELAY I FINALLY YELLED 'I CAN'T GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT A FINAL BAG LIGHT.' SHE RESPONDED THAT SHE DID NOT CARE TO STAND THERE AND BE YELLED AT. SHE THEN DEPARTED THE JETBRIDGE FOR THE TERMINAL LEAVING US WITHOUT AN AGENT ON THE JETBRIDGE FOR AT LEAST 5 MINS BEFORE WE PUSHED BACK. I BELIEVE THAT IS IN VIOLATION OF FLT MANUAL PART 1, PAGE 5-12, NOT TO MENTION JEOPARDIZING THE SAFETY OF MY PAX AND CREW SHOULD AN EMER EVAC HAVE BEEN NECESSARY DURING THAT TIME FRAME. SINCE I WAS OBVIOUSLY NOT IN CTL OF THIS FLT, WHO DID HAVE THE AUTH TO WASTE 300 DOLLARS WHEN IT DID NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT THE ON-TIME PERFORMANCE OF THE FLT AND IN FACT CREATED A 12 MIN TKOF DELAY DUE TO HAVING AN INCORRECT PAX COUNT ON LOAD CLOSEOUT.

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.