As a goldfish bowl operator, I have noticed recent attempts by ATNS to meet the operators to discuss how we can improve our service to the airlines/operators and handle more traffic. We all know about the new radar systems we are getting and how they will assist us to meet the increase in demand and it is good to see the airlines are also trying to come to the party, amongst other things, by reducing their time on the runway (and that alone will certainly speed things up '
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' ) now all we need is the third party to ACTUALLY come to the party.
Yesterday I worked and poor old SAA333 (A340-600) from FAJS arrived at 1218 and was told that his gate was not available, due to some B737 being there. He was told by Apron the delay would only be about 3-4 minutes. However the B737 in his gate, had an EOBT of 1230, which makes about 12 minutes in my estimates '
'. I counted several gates available, so I do not know how they allocate gates. If they only have certain bays avail for the A340-600, why do they put a B737 in them knowing they will soon have a problem?? Why not put the B737 somewhere else?? Needless to say the poor A346 had to sit on B taxiway for 12 minutes waiting for his gate. (We even discussed him shutting down his engines and organising a tug to tow him in.)
Yet again this evening, poor old SAA365 arrived at 1840 and was told his gate was not available due to a B744 in it, with an EOBT was 1840 with a 19A slot. (This B744 had to wait for pushback as there were already 4 other a/c in the lane). So poor old SAA635 had to wait and then be told his gate was changed to A8. Great glee from pilots and off they set to A8 only to be told to go back to A1 as the B744 was now pushing back from A1!! Boy oh boy was that pilot happy - as he said there are 3 bays on the A side open. If ACSA could move his gate from A1 to A8, surely they could have given them A8 in the beginning and you would have a very happy customer. By the time the poor pilot got to A1 he was so tense he could hardly talk. '
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And then there was another B737 who was given B1, but there was an IL76 there. Luckily for him he was moved to A11 almost outside the arrival building, so that saved them a few rands ( no buses, etc etc etc). At least this pilot was happy as he was much closer to the buildings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! '
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And to just round the whole evening off, SAA369 is given A3 but the same IL76 is in his way, so off the Apron to negotiate another bay and he is given A8 - POLE position right outside the arrivals building!!!!!!!!!!!! Why not give the SAA369 A8 at the outset and then it would not be a problem. At least he is also happy!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Picture the scene as an engineer races across the apron to meet the aircraft persued by many buses, and ground vehicles etc ) '
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As my colleague, says what do they smoke in that office??? '
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All I ask, please pilots, is do not take your frustrations out with us in the tower, we have NOTHING TO DO WITH GATE ALLOCATIONS. It is an ACSA problem and we have nothing to do with it. So if you have a problem with your gate, don't mutter at the ground controller, but at ACSA. We are trying out best to pre-empt their shambles, and juggle your taxi routes and tell you to call apron for another gate, but we can't get it right all the time.
And it is only going to get worse as they are expanding the apron and wont give us a bypass taxiway.
I recommend that EACH and EVERY TIME you ENTER the apron you contact APRON again and confirm that your gate is still available. You never know you might be moved from B1 to A8 (at least some things some times get better in Africa). '
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ACSA- I thought it stood for Airports CO of SA, not A COMPLETELY SHAMBOLIC AIRPORT !!!!
Oh well back to my work '
', at least night shifts are no longer boring!!!!!