Narrative:

Passenger boarding was complete. Agent advised everything done; gave passenger count; wanted to close entry door and pull jetway back. I advised him since the cargo doors were still open and I was unsuccessful in establishing communications with ground crew via the interphone; please leave entry door open. This made him angry but composed; he wanted to close the door and I understand. As per the SOP; I attempted to establish communication with ground crew 6 mins prior to scheduled pushback; no contact. I pushed the ground crew alert call button; no success. So; in the event of a cargo smoke/fire ECAM with cargo doors open I must first request ground crew to verify I am on fire before discharging agent. But normally; if everything is normal; the ground crew is on the interphone and I simply ask them to verify. In this case they are not in contact so I would expect a flight deck crew member to verify. This can be done in less than 30 seconds. The company (chief pilot) would prefer I allow forward door to close; if I get a cargo/fire then call into operations for a verification. Historically; I have not been able to get operations to get me a pushback crew; hooked up to a gpu; or bring back the gate agent in a quick manner. In other words; put my faith operations will respond quickly to a fire verification request. I understand the need for a timely pushback; but I can't push anyway with a cargo door open so why not be a little safer and wait until cargo doors are closed; then close forward entry door? When the ground does follow the SOP and we are in contact prior to door closing; all is well in my world. When the SOP to establish contact with ground crew is not successful; allow the forward entry door to remain open until cargo doors are closed. This ensures a quick verification to the fire/smoke ECAM procedure. Pushback is not impacted since we couldn't push anyway with the cargo doors open. At the very least; try to get the ground people to follow the SOP. Doesn't this make sense; or am I the nutty one? And; with the new ACARS logging of times; our out time will reflect all doors closed; parking brake off. So; we will not be penalized with a late pushback if we can allow for my safety concern. 'Dontja think'?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CAPTAIN HAS SAFETY SUGGESTION CONCERNING LEAVING MAIN CABIN DOOR OPEN WITH JETWAY ATTACHED UNTIL CARGO DOORS ARE CLOSED OR COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED WITH GROUND CREW. THIS IS TO ENSURE QUICK VERIFICATION OF CARGO SMOKE ECAM WITH CARGO DOORS OPEN.

Narrative: PAX BOARDING WAS COMPLETE. AGENT ADVISED EVERYTHING DONE; GAVE PAX COUNT; WANTED TO CLOSE ENTRY DOOR AND PULL JETWAY BACK. I ADVISED HIM SINCE THE CARGO DOORS WERE STILL OPEN AND I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN ESTABLISHING COMS WITH GND CREW VIA THE INTERPHONE; PLEASE LEAVE ENTRY DOOR OPEN. THIS MADE HIM ANGRY BUT COMPOSED; HE WANTED TO CLOSE THE DOOR AND I UNDERSTAND. AS PER THE SOP; I ATTEMPTED TO ESTABLISH COM WITH GND CREW 6 MINS PRIOR TO SCHEDULED PUSHBACK; NO CONTACT. I PUSHED THE GND CREW ALERT CALL BUTTON; NO SUCCESS. SO; IN THE EVENT OF A CARGO SMOKE/FIRE ECAM WITH CARGO DOORS OPEN I MUST FIRST REQUEST GND CREW TO VERIFY I AM ON FIRE BEFORE DISCHARGING AGENT. BUT NORMALLY; IF EVERYTHING IS NORMAL; THE GND CREW IS ON THE INTERPHONE AND I SIMPLY ASK THEM TO VERIFY. IN THIS CASE THEY ARE NOT IN CONTACT SO I WOULD EXPECT A FLT DECK CREW MEMBER TO VERIFY. THIS CAN BE DONE IN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS. THE COMPANY (CHIEF PLT) WOULD PREFER I ALLOW FORWARD DOOR TO CLOSE; IF I GET A CARGO/FIRE THEN CALL INTO OPS FOR A VERIFICATION. HISTORICALLY; I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET OPS TO GET ME A PUSHBACK CREW; HOOKED UP TO A GPU; OR BRING BACK THE GATE AGENT IN A QUICK MANNER. IN OTHER WORDS; PUT MY FAITH OPS WILL RESPOND QUICKLY TO A FIRE VERIFICATION REQUEST. I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR A TIMELY PUSHBACK; BUT I CAN'T PUSH ANYWAY WITH A CARGO DOOR OPEN SO WHY NOT BE A LITTLE SAFER AND WAIT UNTIL CARGO DOORS ARE CLOSED; THEN CLOSE FORWARD ENTRY DOOR? WHEN THE GND DOES FOLLOW THE SOP AND WE ARE IN CONTACT PRIOR TO DOOR CLOSING; ALL IS WELL IN MY WORLD. WHEN THE SOP TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH GND CREW IS NOT SUCCESSFUL; ALLOW THE FORWARD ENTRY DOOR TO REMAIN OPEN UNTIL CARGO DOORS ARE CLOSED. THIS ENSURES A QUICK VERIFICATION TO THE FIRE/SMOKE ECAM PROC. PUSHBACK IS NOT IMPACTED SINCE WE COULDN'T PUSH ANYWAY WITH THE CARGO DOORS OPEN. AT THE VERY LEAST; TRY TO GET THE GND PEOPLE TO FOLLOW THE SOP. DOESN'T THIS MAKE SENSE; OR AM I THE NUTTY ONE? AND; WITH THE NEW ACARS LOGGING OF TIMES; OUR OUT TIME WILL REFLECT ALL DOORS CLOSED; PARKING BRAKE OFF. SO; WE WILL NOT BE PENALIZED WITH A LATE PUSHBACK IF WE CAN ALLOW FOR MY SAFETY CONCERN. 'DONTJA THINK'?

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.