Seen it umpteen times
"XXX start and push"..look out of window...no tug
Yonks ago, on a Fam Flt...."Ground to FD" "Go Ahead" "We've removed your tug"
"WE" were ready to start and push [DC10, 350 pax...with a slot] The "Handling Agent" took the tug to a DC8 Freighter...no slot, no pax
On the other hand, I've lost cout of the "Ready" calls with no tug in evidence.
Silly thing though...An A330 [for some reason] did a "Strobe Check"....no safety person, nowt...stopped vehicular tfc for 25 mins. If it wern't tragic, it'd be funny..I think
we aim to please, it keeps the cleaners happy