MD80 captain reports ground equipment was blocking his entry to the gate.

Attributes
ACN	437206
Time
Date	199905
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw.airport
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	437206
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	ground encounters other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport
Primary Problem	Airport
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : dtw.airport

Narrative:

Dtw airport is congested and has some difficult txwys, so why does ramp equipment have to add to the problem? Many airlines park their ramp equipment in aircraft movement areas (although uncontrolled) at what seems like an unjustifiable distance from an unused gate. This practice is most prevalent around the concourse. The positioning of the ramp equipment is almost like it is being placed to guard the empty ramp. I don't think it will be too much longer before we have an incident due to the added congestion caused by bag trucks, belt loads, tugs, and other small mobile equipment.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CAPT RPTS GND EQUIP WAS BLOCKING HIS ENTRY TO THE GATE.

Narrative: DTW ARPT IS CONGESTED AND HAS SOME DIFFICULT TXWYS, SO WHY DOES RAMP EQUIP HAVE TO ADD TO THE PROB? MANY AIRLINES PARK THEIR RAMP EQUIP IN ACFT MOVEMENT AREAS (ALTHOUGH UNCTLED) AT WHAT SEEMS LIKE AN UNJUSTIFIABLE DISTANCE FROM AN UNUSED GATE. THIS PRACTICE IS MOST PREVALENT AROUND THE CONCOURSE. THE POSITIONING OF THE RAMP EQUIP IS ALMOST LIKE IT IS BEING PLACED TO GUARD THE EMPTY RAMP. I DON'T THINK IT WILL BE TOO MUCH LONGER BEFORE WE HAVE AN INCIDENT DUE TO THE ADDED CONGESTION CAUSED BY BAG TRUCKS, BELT LOADS, TUGS, AND OTHER SMALL MOBILE EQUIP.

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.