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Pilot report, B727, mdt-ord-msy. Captain refused to let agents board passenger with less than the minimum number of cabin attendants on board.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 455607 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199911 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : ord.airport |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | ground : parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 455607 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | cabin event other non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA Company |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
We flew air carrier flight ZZZ from mdt to ord. There were 4 through passenger who were going on to msy, and approximately 100 originating passenger. There were 3 originating flight attendants. There were 3 gate agents in the terminal, but they wanted one of the flight attendants to take tickets in the gate room. I told the flight attendants that I wanted all 3 of them to remain on board for boarding, because I considered it to be a safety issue. The agent argued a bit with the flight attendant, but we took tickets on board the aircraft. The flight attendants agreed with my interpretation and my actions. They also told me about incidents of gate agents boarding passenger with no flight attendants on board. Air carrier X is compromising safety for on-time departures. Note: there were several passenger who were elderly or requiring assistance (unaccompanied minors, also) -- none of them had been briefed. If we only had 1 or 2 flight attendants on board, it would be quite difficult to respond to a medical or other emergency, or even be aware of one.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT RPT, B727, MDT-ORD-MSY. CAPT REFUSED TO LET AGENTS BOARD PAX WITH LESS THAN THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF CABIN ATTENDANTS ON BOARD.
Narrative: WE FLEW ACR FLT ZZZ FROM MDT TO ORD. THERE WERE 4 THROUGH PAX WHO WERE GOING ON TO MSY, AND APPROX 100 ORIGINATING PAX. THERE WERE 3 ORIGINATING FLT ATTENDANTS. THERE WERE 3 GATE AGENTS IN THE TERMINAL, BUT THEY WANTED ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO TAKE TICKETS IN THE GATE ROOM. I TOLD THE FLT ATTENDANTS THAT I WANTED ALL 3 OF THEM TO REMAIN ON BOARD FOR BOARDING, BECAUSE I CONSIDERED IT TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. THE AGENT ARGUED A BIT WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT, BUT WE TOOK TICKETS ON BOARD THE ACFT. THE FLT ATTENDANTS AGREED WITH MY INTERP AND MY ACTIONS. THEY ALSO TOLD ME ABOUT INCIDENTS OF GATE AGENTS BOARDING PAX WITH NO FLT ATTENDANTS ON BOARD. ACR X IS COMPROMISING SAFETY FOR ON-TIME DEPS. NOTE: THERE WERE SEVERAL PAX WHO WERE ELDERLY OR REQUIRING ASSISTANCE (UNACCOMPANIED MINORS, ALSO) -- NONE OF THEM HAD BEEN BRIEFED. IF WE ONLY HAD 1 OR 2 FLT ATTENDANTS ON BOARD, IT WOULD BE QUITE DIFFICULT TO RESPOND TO A MEDICAL OR OTHER EMER, OR EVEN BE AWARE OF ONE.
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.