Thankyou 750. I admit I'm surprised that marshalling takes place on so many stands, having expected some sort of automatic guidance, but it's good to see that this service is provided by Airport Operations. I've had the opinion for years that marshalling is an airport authority responsibility and not something to be farmed out to handling agents, bowser drivers and so on. I expect it keeps the Ops Bods busy but I would have honestly expected more at an international airport. As you say, if it ain't broke...
As I recall at Edinburgh a few years ago, every stand I saw was equipped with AGNIS and it made me think that LBA was still in the dark ages. Even the standard issue marshalling bats these days are little more than lengths of polythene pipe covered in yellow insulating tape !
One or two pilots have said that when they're parking nose-in, all they need is someone or something telling them when to stop, whether that be a marshaller or a painted line on the apron. But our instructions state that we also have to provide "turn-in" assistance at night and in poor visibility. I suppose if the marker board were illuminated this wouldn't be necessary. And in any case, many pilots start their turn on to the stand before we give the appropriate direction.