CC6869 - Ground staff wanted aircraft door closed when passengers were in the way to mitigate delay
Initial Report
I was on an {airport} there and back and we landed approximately 30mins late into {airport} with a full aircraft. We had a quick turn around and started boarding ASAP for our flight back to {airport} which was due to depart at HH:MM local.
I got told by the ground staff that ‘boarding was complete’ however there was still a queue of passengers down the jetty waiting to board.
At 3 minutes to the scheduled time of departure the last passenger stepped onboard however, they had to wait at the threshold of the boarding door as there was a queue of passengers in the galley and down the aisle. The ground staff manager then said to the close the aircraft door. I said we needed to wait as we couldn’t access the door due to passengers and their hand baggage being in the way of being able to close the door.
Ground staff then said that in that case they would put the delay down cabin crew requests. This looked terrible in front of our customers and I find it unacceptable that I was ‘threatened’ with a delay code being attributed to me when I wasn’t able to access the door to close it, especially when I could be performance managed on delays.
When I was able to access the door once the last passenger had moved into the galley and down the aisle. I reiterated to the ground staff that it was not ‘a cabin crew request’ but I physically couldn’t access the door to close it and that was why they needed to wait and be patient.
comments
Company Comment
It is important for crew members to always follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure their safety and the safety of others. In situations like this, maintaining clear and open communication with ground staff and the Captain is key, especially when there may be pressure to complete tasks that could affect safety.
While ground staff may not always be fully familiar with our operating procedures or the specific tasks involved in safely closing the cabin door, this is an opportunity for respectful communication to help align expectations. Cabin crew should never feel pressured to rush safety procedures or cut corners.
If the pressure becomes uncomfortable or feels unsafe, it’s important to inform the Captain and submit a report so that any concerns can be properly addressed. By submitting a Cabin Safety Report, we will be able to follow with the correct teams and share the feedback with them. The request to close the door before it was safe to was not ideal, and it’s essential that crew members continue to prioritise safety and stand firm when necessary to ensure a safe operation.
CAA Comment
As indicated in the operator’s response, cabin crew should not feel pressured to start passenger boarding or close the aircraft doors until they are satisfied all required safety activities have been achieved. If the aircraft doors are closed before all passengers are seated and all cabin baggage stowed the cabin crew cannot confirm whether any items cannot be safely stowed and require loading in the aircraft hold and this requires the dispatcher/ground staff to be available and in communication with the cabin crew.
CHIRP Comment
If there is a delay to departure (pax/checks/baggage/PRM/catering etc) then it is important to document exactly why and ensure that effective communication is set up between the flight crew, cabin crew and the ground crew. Crew can feel under pressure especially at busy times such as boarding, but, as this reporter did, it is important to remember that safety must remain the number one priority.
There are numerous issues that could have resulted as a consequence of the crew member closing the door when instructed to do so by the ground staff. Most staff have KPIs to meet and it’s not unusual that they too can feel pressurised on a busy flight.
If you experience behaviours such as those reported here, please ensure that you report these concerns back to your operator, this will give your operator the oversight required to be able to follow up a concern and monitor whether this is a regular occurrence at a specific outstation or base.