Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150; Flight Crew Total 10000; Flight Crew Type 2200
Distraction; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
I was Captain and we had arrived at PHL early in the morning and were parking. The arrival gate is a steep angled lead in line gate with somewhat tight quarters. Both Marshallers and Wing Walkers were present with wands but the Wing Walker on the right side was not quite aware of clearance and collision potential. Just as I was joining the lead in line to park at an angle and being directed by the Marshaller; at the adjacent gate to my right; a push crew very aggressively began pushing back a regional jet and because of the tight quarters of the gate area; he looked to be pushing the aircraft where the RJ wing would pass under my wing and this was an uncomfortable position as we were cleared in and I was not sure the Wing Walker was aware the RJ was sort of coming from behind him. It just put the 2 aircraft very close together for no reason and risk. The Ramp was not busy and had in fact just opened for business. I could not understand why the ground crew and Ramp didn't just let me park first and we were nearly in the gate and we are talking 10 or 15 seconds of delay and the whole potential for collision or just impinging on aircraft footprint would be eliminated.So as I was leaving afterward a station person came up and was apologizing to me about having to wait for a jetway driver; which is not uncommon so I said; hey it happens; we only waited 5 minutes. But you should mention to your Ramp people that the parking procedure at this gate presented a safety issue and should be coordinated a little better. Airplanes should not be over lapping. So I am waiting for the Flight Attendant so we can proceed to the hotel and up walks the Ramp Supervisor whose name I did not catch. I was a bit fatigued after all night flight. I tell him a condensed version of the parking issue and he replies: 'We don't control the ramp; another Carrier does.' So I just told him the parking procedure had 2 aircraft possibly over lapping and its uncomfortable for pilots and the marshallers should try to avoid this as their is collision potential. His response was: 'We don't control the ramp; another Carrier does.' So it seemed kind of pointless but because this is a safety hazard affecting aircraft potentially colliding due to careless Ramp Control I started giving him a little more detail of the situation as I waited for my crew. Half way through my explanation he butted in with 'Stop; Stop; Stop; Stop; Stop; Stop. We don't control the ramp; another Carrier does.' So there you have his reaction as I did him the courtesy of informing him that there is a hazard on his ramp while parking adjacent aircraft. The adjacent RJ being pushed possibly was pushed near or under my aircrafts' wing at a gate with difficult angles and not such great visibility. RJ aircraft was pushed rapidly as well so it got our attention. Ramp Supervisor seemed uninterested and actually a poor listener and communicator. I can tell you if you speak with him; I can predict his robotic response: 'We don't control the ramp; the other Carrier does'. Additionally the Ramp Tower Controller had a bad habit of responding to all radio communications with: 'Copy that.' Non standard phraseology is misleading; typically the aircraft would have to come back with: 'so is that clearance to push?'
A Captain noted that PHL Ramp personnel and controllers operate with less than standard concern about potential main line and RJ aircraft conflict and collision events.