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Air carrier captain reports external gate identifiers at msy are reversed from their correct form; i.e. Gate A8 internally and on ACARS gate assignments; etc. Is identified as 8A on the terminal exterior.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 747375 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200707 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : msy.airport |
| State Reference | LA |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 747375 |
| Events | |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airport |
| Primary Problem | Airport |
| Situations | |
| Airport | markings : msy.airport signage : msy.airport |
Narrative:
This report concerns airport/gate signage at msy. The external gate signs are incorrect. All inside terminal gates and company communication via ACARS refer to gates A6; A7; A8. This is correct. All external gate signage from txwys and the ramp are gate 6A; 7A; and 8A. This is incorrect. A gate numbered 8A; indicates that there is also a gate 8B; 8C; 8D; etc. This is not the case. The gate should be numbered A8; indicating that concourse a has gates 6; 7; and 8. This is in fact the case. The problem comes when taxiing the aircraft to gate A8; assigned by ACARS; there is no such gate! There is a gate numbered 8A; which is extremely confusing. This is a distraction and occurs at a critical phase of taxiing; close to terminal ground equipment; and service road. Our gates in msy are in a one way alley. If you taxi in looking for gate A8; you must be pushed back. The hot item of runway incursions is also a factor due to the closeness of gate A8 to taxiway south and the approach end of runway 1.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR CAPTAIN REPORTS EXTERNAL GATE IDENTIFIERS AT MSY ARE REVERSED FROM THEIR CORRECT FORM; I.E. GATE A8 INTERNALLY AND ON ACARS GATE ASSIGNMENTS; ETC. IS IDENTIFIED AS 8A ON THE TERMINAL EXTERIOR.
Narrative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
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.