Widebody Transport
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 9.0
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Incursion Taxiway
Manuals; Procedure; Aircraft; Human Factors
Aircraft X was instructed to taxi and was told to remain on the frequency. Aircraft X initiated some form of conversation about what they thought was a better taxi route which impeded upon landline coordination with ground control. Control instructions were restated as well as communications transfer to ramp control. Aircraft X was observed entering the ramp control via a taxiway which was neither coordinated nor authorized by ATC personnel.Two Memorandums are located within the red read and initial binder. They are Quality Assurance/Quality Control Alert Bulletins which repeatedly use the phrase 'POSITIVE CONTROL' in bold lettering. Please explain how aircraft not following ATC instructions could ever be considered positive control? Whether it be by their own initiative or by ramp controller prerogative does not matter. Not following ATC instructions and this facility always justifying it as an acceptable practice is UNSAFE.The current Ramp Letter of Agreement (LOA) is unsafe. IT IS NOT BEING FOLLOWED by most of the workforce to include air traffic controllers; pilots; and ramp operators. If the LOA is not being followed it is a safety issue that is not being addressed.Recommend that feedback is solicited and used as a determining factor in LOA development. Controllers should not be briefed on a new LOA without being afforded the opportunity to provide feedback on proposed changes to operating procedures.Recommend that LOAs are not developed which IMPLY increased landline coordination is feasible. The controller work load should never be increased to improve ramp efficiency. This LOA is driven by efficiency and not safety. Safety should be the priority; and increasing coordination at an already busy position is not safe.If the Local Control position already has to talk to every plane landing; as well as make a recorded landline communication for 50 percent of the departure aircraft; should the LOA imply that they now have time to make a ramp control landline communication for 30 percent of the arrival aircraft?
PHL Tower Controller states their facility LOA with Ramp Control is unsafe and is not being complied with.