Narrative:

Iah ground control was 'controling' traffic on the northeast ramp because taxiway nk was closed for construction. Traffic was entering and exiting the ramp on nn. We were 'cleared to taxi after an inbound B737' that was crossing taxiway na on taxiway nn. Visible and holding position on my right was a B737 that had pushed back from a gate on taxiway C. We had pushed back from gate to the north edge of the ramp adjacent to taxiway nk. The inbound B737 appeared to be heading to one of the gates ahead of us, then it turned and stopped on the line on the north side of the ramp. We asked ground control for clarification on our taxi clearance and the pilot in the B737 commented that he would hold for the outbound traffic because his gate was blocked. Ground control was very busy and based on our previous clearance I started to taxi. Had to stop after moving a few ft once the B727 on my right had also started to move. Held position for the B727 and an outbound B737 following him. Queried ground control again and one of the outbound aircraft pilot's commented that they had already received their taxi clearance. Ground control had not issued us any instructions to 'follow' any traffic. After we cleared around the inbound B737 I asked ground control for a frequency in order to discuss the situation and was told to 'call on the phone.' I made another request for a frequency with the comment that I did not want to wait until I got to london to make the call. When I asked the controller why we hadn't been given sequence instructions, she said she couldn't 'see the ramp to control traffic'?? If ground control is saturated as was the case at that time, then they need to either add another frequency for the other ramp areas or put a 'ramp controller' in a spot where traffic sequencing can be maintained without these kind of conflicts.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB PUSHED BACK ON RAMP HAS DIFFICULTY CONFIRMING TAXI CLRNC AND AVOIDING INCOMING TFC.

Narrative: IAH GND CTL WAS 'CTLING' TFC ON THE NE RAMP BECAUSE TXWY NK WAS CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION. TFC WAS ENTERING AND EXITING THE RAMP ON NN. WE WERE 'CLRED TO TAXI AFTER AN INBOUND B737' THAT WAS XING TXWY NA ON TXWY NN. VISIBLE AND HOLDING POS ON MY R WAS A B737 THAT HAD PUSHED BACK FROM A GATE ON TXWY C. WE HAD PUSHED BACK FROM GATE TO THE N EDGE OF THE RAMP ADJACENT TO TXWY NK. THE INBOUND B737 APPEARED TO BE HEADING TO ONE OF THE GATES AHEAD OF US, THEN IT TURNED AND STOPPED ON THE LINE ON THE N SIDE OF THE RAMP. WE ASKED GND CTL FOR CLARIFICATION ON OUR TAXI CLRNC AND THE PLT IN THE B737 COMMENTED THAT HE WOULD HOLD FOR THE OUTBOUND TFC BECAUSE HIS GATE WAS BLOCKED. GND CTL WAS VERY BUSY AND BASED ON OUR PREVIOUS CLRNC I STARTED TO TAXI. HAD TO STOP AFTER MOVING A FEW FT ONCE THE B727 ON MY R HAD ALSO STARTED TO MOVE. HELD POS FOR THE B727 AND AN OUTBOUND B737 FOLLOWING HIM. QUERIED GND CTL AGAIN AND ONE OF THE OUTBOUND ACFT PLT'S COMMENTED THAT THEY HAD ALREADY RECEIVED THEIR TAXI CLRNC. GND CTL HAD NOT ISSUED US ANY INSTRUCTIONS TO 'FOLLOW' ANY TFC. AFTER WE CLRED AROUND THE INBOUND B737 I ASKED GND CTL FOR A FREQ IN ORDER TO DISCUSS THE SIT AND WAS TOLD TO 'CALL ON THE PHONE.' I MADE ANOTHER REQUEST FOR A FREQ WITH THE COMMENT THAT I DID NOT WANT TO WAIT UNTIL I GOT TO LONDON TO MAKE THE CALL. WHEN I ASKED THE CTLR WHY WE HADN'T BEEN GIVEN SEQUENCE INSTRUCTIONS, SHE SAID SHE COULDN'T 'SEE THE RAMP TO CTL TFC'?? IF GND CTL IS SATURATED AS WAS THE CASE AT THAT TIME, THEN THEY NEED TO EITHER ADD ANOTHER FREQ FOR THE OTHER RAMP AREAS OR PUT A 'RAMP CTLR' IN A SPOT WHERE TFC SEQUENCING CAN BE MAINTAINED WITHOUT THESE KIND OF CONFLICTS.

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.