Narrative:

The operation at dulles was exceptionally inadequate this evening. The same controller had to ask us twice where we were after having given us taxi instructions. I understand WX had just gone through and a rush of jets had probably landed, but the whole operation does not suit international operations. I have never felt so much stress (ie, affecting safety) as I did this evening. I kept my head on a swivel to make sure no one ran into anyone else. It seems they have inexperienced crews doing the job and are trying hard to get things done, but it was obvious this evening they lacked the experience to get the airport rolling. I know this is not a specific incident, but it sure seemed like there was no 'adult supervision.' I cannot over-emphasize how stressful departing the airport was this evening, the most in my whole commercial aviation career. It was an embarrassment to our international carriers to have to witness the operation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter said the activity was high and ground controller sounded confused and was not keeping up with the traffic. An air carrier just off the gate had a medical emergency and had a great deal of difficulty getting back to a gate. He said after his flight was issued taxi instruction, he was asked twice for his call sign. During taxi, aircraft were allowed to push back and block their path. Phraseology was used without calls creating a lot of confusion. He thinks there might have been a trainee on the position.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 CREW TAXIING OUT FELT THEY INCURRED GREATER DELAY THAN NORMAL BECAUSE THE GND CTLR WAS NOT ABLE TO KEEP UP AND CONTINUALLY ASKED ACFT FOR THEIR POS.

Narrative: THE OP AT DULLES WAS EXCEPTIONALLY INADEQUATE THIS EVENING. THE SAME CTLR HAD TO ASK US TWICE WHERE WE WERE AFTER HAVING GIVEN US TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. I UNDERSTAND WX HAD JUST GONE THROUGH AND A RUSH OF JETS HAD PROBABLY LANDED, BUT THE WHOLE OP DOES NOT SUIT INTL OPS. I HAVE NEVER FELT SO MUCH STRESS (IE, AFFECTING SAFETY) AS I DID THIS EVENING. I KEPT MY HEAD ON A SWIVEL TO MAKE SURE NO ONE RAN INTO ANYONE ELSE. IT SEEMS THEY HAVE INEXPERIENCED CREWS DOING THE JOB AND ARE TRYING HARD TO GET THINGS DONE, BUT IT WAS OBVIOUS THIS EVENING THEY LACKED THE EXPERIENCE TO GET THE ARPT ROLLING. I KNOW THIS IS NOT A SPECIFIC INCIDENT, BUT IT SURE SEEMED LIKE THERE WAS NO 'ADULT SUPERVISION.' I CANNOT OVER-EMPHASIZE HOW STRESSFUL DEPARTING THE ARPT WAS THIS EVENING, THE MOST IN MY WHOLE COMMERCIAL AVIATION CAREER. IT WAS AN EMBARRASSMENT TO OUR INTL CARRIERS TO HAVE TO WITNESS THE OP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID THE ACTIVITY WAS HIGH AND GND CTLR SOUNDED CONFUSED AND WAS NOT KEEPING UP WITH THE TFC. AN ACR JUST OFF THE GATE HAD A MEDICAL EMER AND HAD A GREAT DEAL OF DIFFICULTY GETTING BACK TO A GATE. HE SAID AFTER HIS FLT WAS ISSUED TAXI INSTRUCTION, HE WAS ASKED TWICE FOR HIS CALL SIGN. DURING TAXI, ACFT WERE ALLOWED TO PUSH BACK AND BLOCK THEIR PATH. PHRASEOLOGY WAS USED WITHOUT CALLS CREATING A LOT OF CONFUSION. HE THINKS THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A TRAINEE ON THE POS.

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.