Did a summer at MAN 30 years ago as a turn round coordinator (they called us dispatchers, but that confuses some folks on here!). Went out to meet a JAT 727 on stand 6, but didn't notice that the man in the orange boiler suit and table tennis bats had failed to show. Said 727 FO was waving out of his window at me as he came up the taxiway, so I helpfully waved him onto stand and stopped him at the right place (I'd been watching when those trained in such had been doing it all summer). Probably broke all manner of rules by doing so, but no one seemed concerned - I just enjoyed the power trip (possibly the last time I had one!) of a large aircraft doing what I told it to!!
I forget if that was the JAT flight where all the crew bar the junior hosty disappeared to the shops as soon as they arrived (I think pax were still deplaning) and returned 10 minutes after STD. What everyone else in the terminal thought when the call went out for the crew of JUxxx to return to the aircraft as it was waiting to depart I don't know!!