Date: 201604
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ATL.Airport, GA
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Parked
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: First Officer
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Communication Breakdown
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Aircraft In Service At Gate
Result: General None Reported / Taken
Contributing factors: Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Before boarding; Captain requested that the deadhead Flight Crew (Captain and F/O) be boarded prior to any boarding. We had a late arriving aircraft. The Agent said; 'No' and that the Crew would board with the pre-boards and disregarded the Captain's request. While I was making the flight deck announcement; the Agent entered the flight deck; and the Captain asked the Agent why he disregarded his request. Things got heated afterwards; and I heard the Agent tell the Captain; after the Captain asked numerous times for him to step off the aircraft; that the aircraft was under his command and he would remove (himself) when he was done with what he needed to do. He also told the Captain that he could then return to 'pushing buttons' when he decided. I stopped my announcements for fear that the Agent's confrontational words would leak through the PA. When the Captain and the Agent left the aircraft; upon the Captain's request; the Captain asked me to follow. He had called Company and asked that a Supervisor meet him in the jet bridge regarding the current matter at hand. The Supervisor arrived and the Captain tried to explain the situation but; the Agent continued to interrupt. We then boarded the aircraft and backed out of the gate. It was a very uncomfortable and tense situation. The Agent's lack of respect; and loud condescending comments were heard by passengers sitting in the first few rows. Because of this disturbance; it made things initially rather tense in the flight deck as we were backing out of the gate. This is not a safe environment for aircraft operation. This is not how an Agent should treat passengers; and certainly not company personnel responsible for the safe operation of company property and passengers.If Company personnel (the Agents) cannot adhere to a Captain's simple request regarding the boarding order of deadheading personnel on an aircraft; due to restrictions set forth by those in Management; then that information needs to be related respectfully. I was not aware; and my guess is neither was the Captain; that Agents 'owned' the aircraft when it is parked at the gate. If the Agent has an issue with the flight deck personnel; then it should be removed from the aircraft; out of passenger earshot; and discussed respectfully.




Synopsis: B737-700 First Officer reported that a confrontation between the Gate Agent and the Captain before departure created a tense; unsafe atmosphere for the flight.