What if...?

[PhatAJ2008]

It is late at night, you are the last aircraft to arrive at a small regional airport. You pull up to the gate and there is no one there to marshall you in. Lets just say the rampers decided to go home early. Can the pilot park the plane at the gate without a marshall and how would he go about dealing with getting all the passengers and bags off?
I know, I know, very hypothtical situation. But it could happen.

 

[gkrangers]

If there is an airline flight coming in, there will be people their ready to recieve the passengers...

 

[RJ_Driver]

If there is an airline flight coming in, there will be people their ready to recieve the passengers...

Sure there is. Always.

 

[gkrangers]

Sure there is. Always.

I just can't picture a 737 pulling up to the gate with nobody home.

FO gonna hop out and maneuver the jetbridge up to the door?

I guess I could see the pilots just opening up the door on the 1900 and kicking the pax out tho, onto a dark ramp.

 

[RJ_Driver]

All bets are off at CAL. You get what you pay for...
The gate agents are pretty pissed nowadays, and we're not even talking FA TA turndown.

 

[Dumbluck]

do what needs to be done

final authority rests with the Captain, always and forever

 

[FN FAL]

do what needs to be done

final authority rests with the Captain, always and forever

Exactly. Even if that means diverting to an airport where there is ramp staff available to meet the safety needs of the passengers.

 

[340drvr]

Just for clarity, are you talking about a 121 operation, or what?

 

[Say Again Over]

Even if that means diverting to an airport where there is ramp staff available to meet the safety needs of the passengers.

Right...

 

[PhatAJ2008]

I ask because I was recently on a flight and we had to wait for what seemed forever for the rampers to show and marshall us in. Just wondering, what would happen if they never showed

 

[b82rez]

There were a couple times in the 1900 where nobody was home. MOstly due to a company cost savings program that sent all the rampers home at an outstation from 5pm to 8pm when there were no flights, then wanted them back for the last night flight.

Call in range, no answer. Wait at the spot (no jetway) for about 10 minutes. Finally park and elicit a nice eagle ramper to open up the terminal for us (locked from the outside). Pulled all the bags, walked them over, the eagle ramper turned on the belt for us. By that time someone had shown up.

Extra points to any Skyway folks who can correctly name the outstation.

 

[FN FAL]

Right...

right what?

You'd continue to land at ESCANABA, even if you knew there was no ramp staff available there, instead of diverting to Green Bay, MKE or MSN, where airport authorities could be counted on to get someone over there to get people off of your plane with suitable equipment?

 

[Say Again Over]

Get back to reality.

 

[Resocha]

I ask because I was recently on a flight and we had to wait for what seemed forever for the rampers to show and marshall us in. Just wondering, what would happen if they never showed

At my former place of employment this happened a couple times that I can remember, on CRJ aircraft. Unfortunately, as I can't remember the outcome, my post is pointless.

 

[PhatAJ2008]

At my former place of employment this happened a couple times that I can remember, on CRJ aircraft. Unfortunately, as I can't remember the outcome, my post is pointless.

...It's the thought that counts.