Originally Posted by
Denny Crane
Probably the best advice I got from a Captain was when I was a FO new to the 767. At pushback time we were in DFW and you could see passengers who were waving at us and pointing. The agent would not go back up and get them. When the captain asked him to do so he got mad and said “while the airplane is at the gate it’s MY airplane.” Captain said ok. Agent pulled the jetway away. Captain opened his window and said to the agent in the jetway “Now it’s my airplane and it’s not moving until you get them on board.” He said it just as calm as he could be. No yelling or anything like the agent had done.
The problem these days is an agent would just disappear and leave you sitting there hoping they put the pax on. I have told an agent to put passengers on.....only to have them close the entry door, pull back the jetway and refuse to come back.
I employ a different strategy. Before I ask for passengers I step into the jetway. And no matter what they say I tell them I will not get back on the plane until the passengers are on.