Narrative:

Due to substantial construction and peak hub activity at mia, tower is asking arriving aircraft on runway 9R whether their gate is open as the arriving aircraft holds short in the #1 position short of runway 12. I believe this is due to the massive congestion on the txwys between the gate areas and the runways, for the above mentioned reasons. According to operations manual, crew members are expressly forbidden to communicate with the company or initiate checklists if #1 and holding short of another active runway. Although I can appreciate the concern of tower regarding the gate problem at mia, such practice of cajoling crews in to providing information contrary to company procedures compromises safety, especially in light of the current emphasis on preventing future runway incursions. In an attempt for clarification of the current company procedure, I asked the chief pilot's office in mia if an exception to this part one restr or clarification could be provided, specifically with regard to the extenuating circumstances at mia. I was told that airline manual is not necessarily black and white. I was also informed that capts had the authority/authorized and could exercise their judgment as to whether or not contacting ramp when holding short in the #1 position. I was also told that most of the pilots at mia do contact ramp after landing even when they are holding short of an active runway in the #1 position. I believe this guidance runs contrary to the clear provision provided in company procedures request clarification of communications procedures during taxi in as it pertains to operations at mia.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR REQUEST FOR INFO ON GATE AVAILABILITY RAISES QUESTIONS OF HOW CREWS ARE TO COMPLY WITH COMPANY POLICY REGARDING NON ATC COM WHEN HOLDING #1 FOR XING A RWY.

Narrative: DUE TO SUBSTANTIAL CONSTRUCTION AND PEAK HUB ACTIVITY AT MIA, TWR IS ASKING ARRIVING ACFT ON RWY 9R WHETHER THEIR GATE IS OPEN AS THE ARRIVING ACFT HOLDS SHORT IN THE #1 POS SHORT OF RWY 12. I BELIEVE THIS IS DUE TO THE MASSIVE CONGESTION ON THE TXWYS BTWN THE GATE AREAS AND THE RWYS, FOR THE ABOVE MENTIONED REASONS. ACCORDING TO OPS MANUAL, CREW MEMBERS ARE EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE COMPANY OR INITIATE CHKLISTS IF #1 AND HOLDING SHORT OF ANOTHER ACTIVE RWY. ALTHOUGH I CAN APPRECIATE THE CONCERN OF TWR REGARDING THE GATE PROB AT MIA, SUCH PRACTICE OF CAJOLING CREWS IN TO PROVIDING INFO CONTRARY TO COMPANY PROCS COMPROMISES SAFETY, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE CURRENT EMPHASIS ON PREVENTING FUTURE RWY INCURSIONS. IN AN ATTEMPT FOR CLARIFICATION OF THE CURRENT COMPANY PROC, I ASKED THE CHIEF PLT'S OFFICE IN MIA IF AN EXCEPTION TO THIS PART ONE RESTR OR CLARIFICATION COULD BE PROVIDED, SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO THE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES AT MIA. I WAS TOLD THAT AIRLINE MANUAL IS NOT NECESSARILY BLACK AND WHITE. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT CAPTS HAD THE AUTH AND COULD EXERCISE THEIR JUDGMENT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT CONTACTING RAMP WHEN HOLDING SHORT IN THE #1 POS. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT MOST OF THE PLTS AT MIA DO CONTACT RAMP AFTER LNDG EVEN WHEN THEY ARE HOLDING SHORT OF AN ACTIVE RWY IN THE #1 POS. I BELIEVE THIS GUIDANCE RUNS CONTRARY TO THE CLR PROVISION PROVIDED IN COMPANY PROCS REQUEST CLARIFICATION OF COMS PROCS DURING TAXI IN AS IT PERTAINS TO OPS AT MIA.

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.