B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 227; Flight Crew Total 8708; Flight Crew Type 6040
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Equipment Issue
Airport; Procedure; Human Factors
We arrived into the alley inbound to gate XXB to find [another] aircraft (737) stopped whilst approaching XXA. Ramp attempted to contact crew to direct a tow-in. The aircraft did not reply; and taxied in. I realized later that it was a MAX aircraft; with new Leap engines that allow for taxi at idle power in all but extremely heavy gross weights. I stopped to allow for the gaining of momentum as XXB gate is poorly designed with significant uphill slope. A swarm of service vehicles approaching XXA did not pay attention to marshaling crew at XXB trying to clear our path. So we lost momentum approaching gate and had to stop almost abeam gate. When it appeared that the gate area was clear; we had no lead Marshaller guiding us in. [I then] realized that the parking guidance system was on; but due to the positioning of the gate it was obscured. While still parallel to the gate; we goosed the power for momentum; went to idle; and just made it up the hill. It really should not be that hard to get into a gate.There were many issues. The SOP speaks to aircraft stopping and needing a tow-in; but what if it is a MAX that is at idle and can move at idle thrust? Additionally; training ramp personnel should include a lesson on situational awareness. [There have been] countless approaches to a gate blocked by vehicles which; in a hurry to service an aircraft; block gate access for other aircraft whilst paying no attention to marshallers. And finally; gate XXB has added a parking guidance system you cannot see until you are almost abeam the gate and committed. How does one know to approach?
B737 Captain reported communication issues with marshallers and ground conflict with vehicles not yielding to the aircraft which complicated the gate arrival.