From your post it would show that a new form of communication might help like a note or something. In MSP if I get to the gate and there's no one around I just grab the charging walkie talkie and say the flight crew is waiting at the gate. Maybe leaving something there for them would help.
He could have handled the situation better no doubt. When people are working they are working and you can't really ask more from them. Keep in mind you're both in different worlds where each has a different set of duties and responsibilities so it's easy for one to get frustrated with the other.