Narrative:

After landing, taxied to gate. A B737 was on my left to dodge, no guideman. An S80 was on my right, along with 6 pieces of equipment on the right and 1 on the left. We took a 23 min delay to get into the gate. We finally were towed in to the gate, after a new tow bar was brought out. The ground crew seemed to have no knowledge of the line cargo manual handbook, section 8.0 item A01, B-3. The safety clearance lines painted and visible on the ramp had the following equipment over the safety line. 1 piece by over 20 ft: an ld-8 loader belt loader, ld-8 carts, bob CAT. All of this equipment was over the safety lines. After being towed in to the gate and passenger deplaned, I was met by ramp manager mr X who said, 'what was your problem coming in, I had 3 men with wands and vests, so there was no problem, this is your delay, I will write this up to the chief pilot bos (the station manager) that you delayed this flight.' this shows that the ground crews have no understanding of the handbook nor FM-1 section 10, 9.6-F. Why? Less than 1 week ago, an S80 hit another aircraft in bos. After this discussion, the ramp manager went on and clearly questioned captain's authority/authorized on the safety of the ground movement of the aircraft. How far and long is this going to go on? Supplemental information from acn 485362: after a delay of 23 mins to get in to the gate, he challenged captain's authority/authorized by stating, 'once the aircraft is on the ground it's my responsibility not yours to taxi you in. If I say it's clear then you come in -- no mater what.' he went further to say that 'you're the only one who has a problem taxiing in. I have to pay all these guys overtime now because of you.' it was clear that the authority/authorized of the captain was questioned and challenged to the safe operation of the aircraft. I should not be challenged, questioned or chastised for making a safe decision to have equipment moved out of the way. Why is this a problem?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 PIC RPT ON RAMP CONGESTION AND FACING DOWN AN IRRITATED RAMP MGR WHO PLACED THE DELAY OF 23 MINS UPON THE CREW FOR HAVING THE ACFT TOWED INTO THE GATE AT BOS, MA.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG, TAXIED TO GATE. A B737 WAS ON MY L TO DODGE, NO GUIDEMAN. AN S80 WAS ON MY R, ALONG WITH 6 PIECES OF EQUIP ON THE R AND 1 ON THE L. WE TOOK A 23 MIN DELAY TO GET INTO THE GATE. WE FINALLY WERE TOWED IN TO THE GATE, AFTER A NEW TOW BAR WAS BROUGHT OUT. THE GND CREW SEEMED TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE LINE CARGO MANUAL HANDBOOK, SECTION 8.0 ITEM A01, B-3. THE SAFETY CLRNC LINES PAINTED AND VISIBLE ON THE RAMP HAD THE FOLLOWING EQUIP OVER THE SAFETY LINE. 1 PIECE BY OVER 20 FT: AN LD-8 LOADER BELT LOADER, LD-8 CARTS, BOB CAT. ALL OF THIS EQUIP WAS OVER THE SAFETY LINES. AFTER BEING TOWED IN TO THE GATE AND PAX DEPLANED, I WAS MET BY RAMP MGR MR X WHO SAID, 'WHAT WAS YOUR PROB COMING IN, I HAD 3 MEN WITH WANDS AND VESTS, SO THERE WAS NO PROB, THIS IS YOUR DELAY, I WILL WRITE THIS UP TO THE CHIEF PLT BOS (THE STATION MGR) THAT YOU DELAYED THIS FLT.' THIS SHOWS THAT THE GND CREWS HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING OF THE HANDBOOK NOR FM-1 SECTION 10, 9.6-F. WHY? LESS THAN 1 WK AGO, AN S80 HIT ANOTHER ACFT IN BOS. AFTER THIS DISCUSSION, THE RAMP MGR WENT ON AND CLRLY QUESTIONED CAPT'S AUTH ON THE SAFETY OF THE GND MOVEMENT OF THE ACFT. HOW FAR AND LONG IS THIS GOING TO GO ON? SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 485362: AFTER A DELAY OF 23 MINS TO GET IN TO THE GATE, HE CHALLENGED CAPT'S AUTH BY STATING, 'ONCE THE ACFT IS ON THE GND IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY NOT YOURS TO TAXI YOU IN. IF I SAY IT'S CLR THEN YOU COME IN -- NO MATER WHAT.' HE WENT FURTHER TO SAY THAT 'YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS A PROB TAXIING IN. I HAVE TO PAY ALL THESE GUYS OVERTIME NOW BECAUSE OF YOU.' IT WAS CLR THAT THE AUTH OF THE CAPT WAS QUESTIONED AND CHALLENGED TO THE SAFE OP OF THE ACFT. I SHOULD NOT BE CHALLENGED, QUESTIONED OR CHASTISED FOR MAKING A SAFE DECISION TO HAVE EQUIP MOVED OUT OF THE WAY. WHY IS THIS A PROB?

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.