Wings Level,
I have to agree with you about the fanfare - it grates more than a little. I can even hear it in the flight deck through noise cancelling headphones.
It is, as I am sure you know, more than a little frustrating to spend time en route negotiating with ATC and landing on time or early only to find the stand occupied. This has happened to me several times in the last week (a sure sign that summer timetable is upon us once again...) The ground controllers have tried calling up the occupying aircraft to see how long they might be only to find that they are not maintaining a listening watch. Very irritating for all concerned (with an added dollop of annoyance if one has taken the time to radio ahead the ETA) though there is little that can be done when it happens...
I also find it truly amazing that PAX stand up and start messing around with baggage etc when announcements from both cabin crew and flight deck emphasise what a quick look out the window must surely make clear - i.e. we are not there yet... Why on earth do they think that the cabin crew are still sitting down and the doors are still closed?! The mind boggles! I can only say that you are by no means alone in your annoyance. I suspect that this phenomenon of racing to retrieve cabin baggage almost as soon as the wheels hit the tarmac is common in virtually all airlines though. I can only imagine the fuss that would be made though if an aircraft moved suddenly and someone who was standing when they shouldn't fell and broke a leg...
Anyway - we'll soldier on!
Take care
tabu