Narrative:

We are having a large number of instances where the push crews are not waiting for a wave off after pushing back from the gate. As soon as the tug disconnects they walk off. If you are busy; when you look up they are gone! We are going to wind up killing some ramp folks if this trend does not reverse. This is happening at almost every airport we have flown into over the past few months. These are almost always 'our' people as the contract folks are pretty good about this. It is not just at main stations but smaller stations as well. Also the standard phraseology seems to be going out the window as well.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS CAPT COMMENTED ON THE CONSISTENT FAILURE OF PUSH BACK CREWS TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES.

Narrative: WE ARE HAVING A LARGE NUMBER OF INSTANCES WHERE THE PUSH CREWS ARE NOT WAITING FOR A WAVE OFF AFTER PUSHING BACK FROM THE GATE. AS SOON AS THE TUG DISCONNECTS THEY WALK OFF. IF YOU ARE BUSY; WHEN YOU LOOK UP THEY ARE GONE! WE ARE GOING TO WIND UP KILLING SOME RAMP FOLKS IF THIS TREND DOES NOT REVERSE. THIS IS HAPPENING AT ALMOST EVERY ARPT WE HAVE FLOWN INTO OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS. THESE ARE ALMOST ALWAYS 'OUR' PEOPLE AS THE CONTRACT FOLKS ARE PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THIS. IT IS NOT JUST AT MAIN STATIONS BUT SMALLER STATIONS AS WELL. ALSO THE STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY SEEMS TO BE GOING OUT THE WINDOW AS WELL.

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.