Narrative:

Dehavilland D-8 (air carrier Y) taxied in to ramp and began unloading passenger (propeller still running) as I was briefing my passenger. I climbed in my seat and saw passenger walking to immigration past my left wing. A ramp agent from air carrier Y, who also works our own flts, directed the passenger to the sidewalk and signaled me to start #2 engine. I started #2 engine and looked back to agent. He signaled ok to start #1 engine. I started #1 engine and he then signaled me to turn right and exit the ramp. As I turned out and tuned the unicom on I heard someone say 'are you nuts?' a light twin was taxiing in behind me. There was a lot of chatter on the radio so I didn't know who this comment was for or coming from. I continued to taxi out. The next comment was 'you started those engines with passenger and children walking right by your propellers.' I figured this had to be directed at me so I answered that I had an agent who was directing me. Comment from the unknown, 'well, I hope he's quick enough to grab those children when they run away!' I felt the comment to be ridiculous and to have to come from the aircraft behind me as he probably couldn't see the operation. In retrospect, it could have been the flight crew. If it was, I find it disturbing that they would accept a policy that allows them to embark/disembark passenger with propellers running if their agents are directing, but they feel that it's not ok for another airline to do so. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that she believed that there was no danger from her aircraft since the station agent was between her and the other aircraft's passenger. However, since it is a small station in the bahamas, there is no formal lines to park or guide the passenger movements on the ramp. She is going to pursue the matter with her small company in an effort to create a safer passenger loading situation. She was operating a cessna 402 type aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNSAFE PAX LOADING DEPLANING PROC. AIRLINE MGMNT POLICY PROB.

Narrative: DEHAVILLAND D-8 (ACR Y) TAXIED IN TO RAMP AND BEGAN UNLOADING PAX (PROP STILL RUNNING) AS I WAS BRIEFING MY PAX. I CLBED IN MY SEAT AND SAW PAX WALKING TO IMMIGRATION PAST MY L WING. A RAMP AGENT FROM ACR Y, WHO ALSO WORKS OUR OWN FLTS, DIRECTED THE PAX TO THE SIDEWALK AND SIGNALED ME TO START #2 ENG. I STARTED #2 ENG AND LOOKED BACK TO AGENT. HE SIGNALED OK TO START #1 ENG. I STARTED #1 ENG AND HE THEN SIGNALED ME TO TURN R AND EXIT THE RAMP. AS I TURNED OUT AND TUNED THE UNICOM ON I HEARD SOMEONE SAY 'ARE YOU NUTS?' A LIGHT TWIN WAS TAXIING IN BEHIND ME. THERE WAS A LOT OF CHATTER ON THE RADIO SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHO THIS COMMENT WAS FOR OR COMING FROM. I CONTINUED TO TAXI OUT. THE NEXT COMMENT WAS 'YOU STARTED THOSE ENGS WITH PAX AND CHILDREN WALKING RIGHT BY YOUR PROPS.' I FIGURED THIS HAD TO BE DIRECTED AT ME SO I ANSWERED THAT I HAD AN AGENT WHO WAS DIRECTING ME. COMMENT FROM THE UNKNOWN, 'WELL, I HOPE HE'S QUICK ENOUGH TO GRAB THOSE CHILDREN WHEN THEY RUN AWAY!' I FELT THE COMMENT TO BE RIDICULOUS AND TO HAVE TO COME FROM THE ACFT BEHIND ME AS HE PROBABLY COULDN'T SEE THE OP. IN RETROSPECT, IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE FLC. IF IT WAS, I FIND IT DISTURBING THAT THEY WOULD ACCEPT A POLICY THAT ALLOWS THEM TO EMBARK/DISEMBARK PAX WITH PROPS RUNNING IF THEIR AGENTS ARE DIRECTING, BUT THEY FEEL THAT IT'S NOT OK FOR ANOTHER AIRLINE TO DO SO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT SHE BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS NO DANGER FROM HER ACFT SINCE THE STATION AGENT WAS BTWN HER AND THE OTHER ACFT'S PAX. HOWEVER, SINCE IT IS A SMALL STATION IN THE BAHAMAS, THERE IS NO FORMAL LINES TO PARK OR GUIDE THE PAX MOVEMENTS ON THE RAMP. SHE IS GOING TO PURSUE THE MATTER WITH HER SMALL COMPANY IN AN EFFORT TO CREATE A SAFER PAX LOADING SIT. SHE WAS OPERATING A CESSNA 402 TYPE ACFT.

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.