Flight crew of B717, when inquiring about circuitous taxi routing at phl, is met with a stern respon...

Attributes
ACN	593636
Time
Date	200309
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B717 (Formerly MD-95)
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 : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	593636
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor ATC Human Performance Airport Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

After landing in phl, we were instructed to taxi from runway 9R to south to east to spot X. As we taxied, I noticed we were 1 of 2 or 3 aircraft moving on the entire airport. Having experienced many weird ATC delays at phl and now running 20-30 mins late, I asked the ground controller why we were, in essence, taxiing around the entire airport when there was a taxiway leading from the runway to our gate. The controller became irate and ordered us to stop the aircraft while he lectured us. He told us that the airport had procedures, my company agreed with the procedures, and that I should have no problem following instructions. I have reviewed the commercial charts and our company airport information. There is no mention of phl 'procedures.' I should not have instigated this conversation until the aircraft was parked. However, I let the circumstances dictate my response. In the future, I will wait until an opportune time to call the controller's manager instead of having an on-air discussion with ATC. There is an unbelievable level of disinterest on the part of ATC to streamline the flow of traffic. Phl is among the worst.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF B717, WHEN INQUIRING ABOUT CIRCUITOUS TAXI ROUTING AT PHL, IS MET WITH A STERN RESPONSE FROM GND CTLR WHO LECTURES THEM ON THE ORIGIN OF THE PHL TAXI PROCS.

Narrative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

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.

Flight crew of B717, when inquiring about circuitous taxi routing at phl, is met with a stern response from ground controller who lectures them on the origin of the phl taxi procedures.