Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 32; Flight Crew Total 10435; Flight Crew Type 10435
Communication Breakdown; Training / Qualification; Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Incursion Taxiway
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
Upon arrival to Gate X in ZZZ we were asked to call OPS. The Captain called them and we were reminded that we should call ramp before entering the ramp next time. I couldn't believe that I had made such a mistake after over XXXXX hours on the fleet and almost XX years of flying at the company with many many ZZZ arrivals. I looked at the Captain and I said; 'I am sorry I have no excuse;' which is how I felt. I then called the ramp and apologized. I called them on the frequency that I had set on stby at Comm 2 prior to the top of descend when I was setting up for our arrival to ZZZ. As we debriefed I started questioning the why of my mistake and I realize that I am taking for granted my lack of situational awareness as a result of my 7 month absence from flying.When I went to ZZZ1 I was very serious about it; during my OE trip I was still very conscious of my weaknesses because of my lack of recency but now as I am finishing my second trip after OE I feel that 'I am back' which obviously I am not. There were a few other threats that contributed to my mistake. We had thoroughly briefed a [Runway] XXL arrival and taxi in but had spent way less time discussing [Runway] XYR. Our set up for XYR and execution was great but created a distraction and increased the workload. We cleared XYR on Taxiway 1; were given instruction to cross XYL on 1 and call Ground. Both myself and the Captain were anticipating taxi via 1; but when I called Ground we were told 'Taxi via 2; 3 hold short of 4 and at the half way point on November call Ground at XXX.YY.' A lot of information to digest especially if you aren't very familiar with the airport; you have been out for a long time (this is the Captain's first trip after RQ (Recurrent Qualification) training and OE). We were both expecting to go straight on Taxiway 1.I told the Captain to stop. Which he very nicely did as he was also figuring out that we were not suppose to continue on 1. The Captain taxied as instructed; I called Ground Control and was told to taxi via 3; 4 to the gate. After making the turn on 4 we were instructed to give way to opposite direction traffic on 4 that was turning on 5. We then were told to turn right on 5 and continue via 6 to the gate. As I am debriefing this I realized that ZZZ unlike ZZZ1 or ZZZ2 doesn't instruct you to contact ramp. They simply say taxi to the gate/ramp. Finally as we were approaching the gate area I was trying to time my APU start so it is running when we come to a full stop; and I also noticed that there was a lot of vehicle traffic traveling parallel to us and I was a little concerned on whether or not they will stop at X7 for our turn. There was no traffic in the alley and we taxied to Gate X uneventfully.
Air carrier First Officer reported not contacting the ramp before entering and cited as contributing factors a lack of recent flying and ATC not instructing them to contact ramp.