Flight Attendant Current
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Human Factors
We were finished boarding and I was doing my compliance check walking through the cabin with 42 passengers. When I came back to the front the bridge that connects the A/C (Aircraft) with the jet bridge was pulled back already. I then asked the gate agent why he did it. He just shrugged his shoulders and was surprised that I even asked him. Then I said to him very firm: 'Put it right back.' He said: 'Why?' Then I told him 'this is a safety issue and you cannot pull that bridge until I am ready.' I also asked him if he had received the paperwork from the CA (Captain) yet and he said 'no'. Then he continued to argue with me and did not put the bridge back. He asked again 'Why?' Then I said 'what if we have to evacuate and then there is no bridge?' His answer: 'Then I put it back.' I said: 'You put it back right now!' He still wouldn't do it. The CA had heard our conversation; got out of his seat and just motioned him to put the bridge back which he then finally did. Then the CA asked me to get him to come to the cockpit door because he wanted to talk with him. He explained to him again why the gate agent cannot pull that bridge until we are ready and I tell him it is ok. He then argued with the CA about it and still didn't get it why he had to do it. And when he finally pulled the bridge; after I told him it was okay now; I closed the door 7 min early. We were not running late and even if we would have there still was no reason to try to close early.
After returning to the front of the aircraft prior to door closure; an EMB145 Flight Attendant discovered that the Gate Agent removed the small connecting bridge and asked him to put it back. The agent asks 'why'; but does not put it back until the Captain intervenes.