I hope it is not an issue with all airlines. However, it does seem that it could be/have been systemic for at least one ...
A senior manager of Flight Operations at a major airline stated in the Autumn of '03:
"An aircraft parked at a gate will normally have two or three independent measures applied to keep it from moving, those being the aircraft parking brakes, wheel chocks, and a push tractor attached. If one or even two of these systems fail, the last should normally hold the aircraft in place. In these recent incidents, one or more of the independent systems failed or were applied incorrectly - each of which were preventable. In both cases the aircraft rolled. Fortunately, in one incident there was no injury or damage. In the second however, there was significant aircraft damage caused by impact with a cargo loader. Both cases had high potential for serious personal injury. These were classic James Reason "Swiss Cheese Model" failures that involved technical, process, human, and management failures; things were a "little off the rails", people were rushing to "do the right thing".
The same major airline acknowledged aircraft rollbacks on arrivals in April of '04:
"OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS THERE HAVE BEEN THREE VERY SERIOUS PARKING INCIDENTS. IN ALL CASES PILOTS FAILED TO SELECT THE PARK BRAKE TO ON AS PART OF THE SHUTDOWN PROCEDURE. THESE INCIDENTS HAVE BEEN BOTH DANGEROUS ANDCOSTLY. PLEASE REVIEW THE APPROPRIATE STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES AND REDOUBLE YOUR EFFORTS TO PREVENT THESE INCIDENTS."
Then the Pilot's Association/ Flight Operations Bulletin released this in August of '04:
"PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE OSH POLICY COMMITTEE HAS RECEIVED SAFETY CONCERNS WITH REGARDS TO THE SETTING OF THE AIRCRAFT PARKBRAKE AND SUBSEQUENT ROLLBACKS.
WITH HEALTH AND SAFETY IN MIND ENSURING THAT THE PARK BRAKE IS SET AS PER SOPS PROTECTS ALL THOSE INVOLVED.
PLEASE BE GUIDED ACCORDINGLY"
It does seem that some large carriers (not in the "third world" btw), pay/paid "by-the-minute" based on gate "time in/time out" are/were taking advantage of ACARS technology to "trick" the system. Is this accurate?