Narrative:

Return from a flight. Called for parking instructions. Barely able to understand person on other end. We were told to go to south ramp. Upon arrival; we requested a guide man for parking. Told only 1 person today and we would have to wait. Waited with both engines running (as directed by ramp) for over 20 mins waiting for guide man. Finally decided to shut engines down. 10 mins later a tow tug showed up. Captain yelled out of cockpit window that we could start engines and taxi. Ground personnel continued to hook up aircraft. Captain tried to explain that we needed to run a tow-in checklist and that we needed ground crew to hook up communications. Ground personnel continued to hook up the aircraft and would not establish communications via intercom. Fortunately; we were able to turn off the 'a' hydraulic pump before the tow began and anyone got hurt. Once parked; captain had a discussion with the ground personnel and explained our SOP on tow-in. Ground crew said 'that's your SOP and not the way we do it here.' someone could seriously have gotten hurt in this process. On a side note. The ramp person was very rude; hard to understand; and completely unhelpful. We had to get flight operations involved to get someone to help park us. Waiting 30 mins to park with both engines running is totally unacceptable.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER LENGTHY DELAY AWAITING GND HANDLING PERSONNEL; FLT CREW OF B737-300 ENCOUNTER UNCOMMUNICATIVE TUG CREW WHO REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OR FOLLOW SOP FOR TOWING AND PARKING.

Narrative: RETURN FROM A FLT. CALLED FOR PARKING INSTRUCTIONS. BARELY ABLE TO UNDERSTAND PERSON ON OTHER END. WE WERE TOLD TO GO TO S RAMP. UPON ARR; WE REQUESTED A GUIDE MAN FOR PARKING. TOLD ONLY 1 PERSON TODAY AND WE WOULD HAVE TO WAIT. WAITED WITH BOTH ENGS RUNNING (AS DIRECTED BY RAMP) FOR OVER 20 MINS WAITING FOR GUIDE MAN. FINALLY DECIDED TO SHUT ENGS DOWN. 10 MINS LATER A TOW TUG SHOWED UP. CAPT YELLED OUT OF COCKPIT WINDOW THAT WE COULD START ENGS AND TAXI. GND PERSONNEL CONTINUED TO HOOK UP ACFT. CAPT TRIED TO EXPLAIN THAT WE NEEDED TO RUN A TOW-IN CHKLIST AND THAT WE NEEDED GND CREW TO HOOK UP COMS. GND PERSONNEL CONTINUED TO HOOK UP THE ACFT AND WOULD NOT ESTABLISH COMS VIA INTERCOM. FORTUNATELY; WE WERE ABLE TO TURN OFF THE 'A' HYD PUMP BEFORE THE TOW BEGAN AND ANYONE GOT HURT. ONCE PARKED; CAPT HAD A DISCUSSION WITH THE GND PERSONNEL AND EXPLAINED OUR SOP ON TOW-IN. GND CREW SAID 'THAT'S YOUR SOP AND NOT THE WAY WE DO IT HERE.' SOMEONE COULD SERIOUSLY HAVE GOTTEN HURT IN THIS PROCESS. ON A SIDE NOTE. THE RAMP PERSON WAS VERY RUDE; HARD TO UNDERSTAND; AND COMPLETELY UNHELPFUL. WE HAD TO GET FLT OPS INVOLVED TO GET SOMEONE TO HELP PARK US. WAITING 30 MINS TO PARK WITH BOTH ENGS RUNNING IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.