Narrative:

We were getting ready to depart gate when the agent informed me that 2 passenger hadn't shown up for the flight and that we would be removing their bags. The crew chief said that this would take approximately 25 mins. During the delay, one of the missing passenger boarded the aircraft and their bags were reloaded while the still missing passenger's bags were removed. We pushed back and received the load closeout. Ground control told us to call company. Operations then informed me that we needed to move 2 passenger from coach to first class. I asked why. I was told 'per load control.' I had a problem with this for several reasons, 1) being that this was my first trip off IOE, 2) being that the request was too vague -- 'do you want me to move 2 passenger from row X to row V or what?' I called dispatch and was told that this happens 'all the time.' again, I wanted a definite answer. Apparently, the ground crew misloaded the aircraft and that moving just 2 passenger would bring us to the center of gravity limit. I suggested that if 2 would take to the limit maybe 4 would put us 'inside' the limit, so we moved 4 passenger from coach to first class per my request. I still have a very hard time with moving passenger after gate departure. I don't think it's safe for several reasons. Moving passenger while the aircraft is in motion is unsafe and how do the flight attendants know which passenger to select? I also think that this would have very severe security implications. What about the passenger that don't get chosen to move forward? This can cause passenger disruption and worse. I was told that air carrier loads the aircraft to the maximum aft center of gravity location to improve fuel economy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CAPT IS INSTRUCTED BY COMPANY OPS AND DISPATCHER TO RELOCATE PAX TO THE FIRST CLASS AREA IN ORDER TO BRING THE ACFT WITHIN AFT CTR OF GRAVITY LIMITS.

Narrative: WE WERE GETTING READY TO DEPART GATE WHEN THE AGENT INFORMED ME THAT 2 PAX HADN'T SHOWN UP FOR THE FLT AND THAT WE WOULD BE REMOVING THEIR BAGS. THE CREW CHIEF SAID THAT THIS WOULD TAKE APPROX 25 MINS. DURING THE DELAY, ONE OF THE MISSING PAX BOARDED THE ACFT AND THEIR BAGS WERE RELOADED WHILE THE STILL MISSING PAX'S BAGS WERE REMOVED. WE PUSHED BACK AND RECEIVED THE LOAD CLOSEOUT. GND CTL TOLD US TO CALL COMPANY. OPS THEN INFORMED ME THAT WE NEEDED TO MOVE 2 PAX FROM COACH TO FIRST CLASS. I ASKED WHY. I WAS TOLD 'PER LOAD CTL.' I HAD A PROB WITH THIS FOR SEVERAL REASONS, 1) BEING THAT THIS WAS MY FIRST TRIP OFF IOE, 2) BEING THAT THE REQUEST WAS TOO VAGUE -- 'DO YOU WANT ME TO MOVE 2 PAX FROM ROW X TO ROW V OR WHAT?' I CALLED DISPATCH AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS HAPPENS 'ALL THE TIME.' AGAIN, I WANTED A DEFINITE ANSWER. APPARENTLY, THE GND CREW MISLOADED THE ACFT AND THAT MOVING JUST 2 PAX WOULD BRING US TO THE CTR OF GRAVITY LIMIT. I SUGGESTED THAT IF 2 WOULD TAKE TO THE LIMIT MAYBE 4 WOULD PUT US 'INSIDE' THE LIMIT, SO WE MOVED 4 PAX FROM COACH TO FIRST CLASS PER MY REQUEST. I STILL HAVE A VERY HARD TIME WITH MOVING PAX AFTER GATE DEP. I DON'T THINK IT'S SAFE FOR SEVERAL REASONS. MOVING PAX WHILE THE ACFT IS IN MOTION IS UNSAFE AND HOW DO THE FLT ATTENDANTS KNOW WHICH PAX TO SELECT? I ALSO THINK THAT THIS WOULD HAVE VERY SEVERE SECURITY IMPLICATIONS. WHAT ABOUT THE PAX THAT DON'T GET CHOSEN TO MOVE FORWARD? THIS CAN CAUSE PAX DISRUPTION AND WORSE. I WAS TOLD THAT ACR LOADS THE ACFT TO THE MAX AFT CTR OF GRAVITY LOCATION TO IMPROVE FUEL ECONOMY.

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.