Narrative:

Clearing runway xxl at taxiway a tower instructed us to cross runway xxr turn left on taxiway B; enter the ramp at taxiway B6 and talk to ramp. Another carrier was exiting the ramp. I could see that our current taxi instructions could create a conflict with the airbus (depending on where he was headed) so when I checked in with the ramp controller I carefully and explicitly told him our previously issued taxi instructions. He then directed us to taxi to our gate. During a phone call with the tower; the captain was informed that we should not have switched to ramp tower until we were in the ramp. Nowhere else in aviation do you enter someone's area of control and then talk to them. Furthermore; a new clearance always overrides previous instructions; so I believe our actions were appropriate and followed all applicable directives and regulations. The ramp and tower controller were not communicating; creating an unsafe environment. The practice of using a ramp control in ZZZ is a barrier to safe operations. It adds needless radio calls and creates a situation where aircraft are taxiing near each other but cannot hear the instructions given to the other aircraft. This reduces the pilots' situational awareness while increasing pilot workload. Discontinue the use of ramp control. If ZZZ insists on using ramp control; the ramp/tower and ground should coordination their clrncs. Finally; if none of these procedural changes are to be made; the controller must listen to pilots when they check in. It doesn't do any good to tell the ramp controller our previously issued taxi instructions if they aren't listening.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PILOT REPORTS BEING CLRED TO TAXI TO THE RAMP BY ATC AND TO CONTACT RAMP. RAMP DIRECTED A TURN NOT COORDINATED WITH ATC GND CAUSING A CONFLICT.

Narrative: CLRING RWY XXL AT TXWY A TWR INSTRUCTED US TO CROSS RWY XXR TURN L ON TXWY B; ENTER THE RAMP AT TXWY B6 AND TALK TO RAMP. ANOTHER CARRIER WAS EXITING THE RAMP. I COULD SEE THAT OUR CURRENT TAXI INSTRUCTIONS COULD CREATE A CONFLICT WITH THE AIRBUS (DEPENDING ON WHERE HE WAS HEADED) SO WHEN I CHKED IN WITH THE RAMP CTLR I CAREFULLY AND EXPLICITLY TOLD HIM OUR PREVIOUSLY ISSUED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS. HE THEN DIRECTED US TO TAXI TO OUR GATE. DURING A PHONE CALL WITH THE TWR; THE CAPT WAS INFORMED THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE SWITCHED TO RAMP TWR UNTIL WE WERE IN THE RAMP. NOWHERE ELSE IN AVIATION DO YOU ENTER SOMEONE'S AREA OF CTL AND THEN TALK TO THEM. FURTHERMORE; A NEW CLRNC ALWAYS OVERRIDES PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS; SO I BELIEVE OUR ACTIONS WERE APPROPRIATE AND FOLLOWED ALL APPLICABLE DIRECTIVES AND REGS. THE RAMP AND TWR CTLR WERE NOT COMMUNICATING; CREATING AN UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT. THE PRACTICE OF USING A RAMP CTL IN ZZZ IS A BARRIER TO SAFE OPS. IT ADDS NEEDLESS RADIO CALLS AND CREATES A SITUATION WHERE ACFT ARE TAXIING NEAR EACH OTHER BUT CANNOT HEAR THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN TO THE OTHER ACFT. THIS REDUCES THE PLTS' SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WHILE INCREASING PLT WORKLOAD. DISCONTINUE THE USE OF RAMP CTL. IF ZZZ INSISTS ON USING RAMP CTL; THE RAMP/TWR AND GND SHOULD COORD THEIR CLRNCS. FINALLY; IF NONE OF THESE PROCEDURAL CHANGES ARE TO BE MADE; THE CTLR MUST LISTEN TO PLTS WHEN THEY CHK IN. IT DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD TO TELL THE RAMP CTLR OUR PREVIOUSLY ISSUED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS IF THEY AREN'T LISTENING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.