No Aircraft
Distraction; Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy; Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors
In tow with aircraft at Spot XX. Call was made to Ground tower for Super Tug XX; Spot XX for Gate XXa. No response. This was repeated several times; unable to hear response from Ground tower. Turned off all lights (beacons; headlights; cradle lights) and still unable to hear Ground response for instruction. We contacted Super 13 to ask for them to communicate to Tower and to communicate their instruction for tow. Super Tug XA was able to communicate to Ground and relay instructions to us for tow. Radio issues continue to be primary safety concern for those of us on [the aircraft] move team. Several requests have been made to upgrade our system with continued ignored requests. This issue needs to be resolved to give us the proper tools and equipment necessary to do our job safely. We are aware that these issues are ignored in favor of budget concerns; hopefully an accident will not occur before these issues are actually addressed.
A ramp employee reports about continuing radio malfunctions in their Super Tugs (STs) that prevent drivers from hearing Ground Control Tower instructions when towing aircraft. Requests to upgrade their communication radios due to safety concerns have been ignored.