Date: 202001
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Light: Night
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Taxi
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Training / Qualification; Communication Breakdown
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Taxi
Result: General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Contributing factors: Procedure; Company Policy; Human Factors
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: During recovery of Flight XXXX at ZZZ Gate XX the marshaller showed up in the safety zone shortly after we arrived. There were no wing walkers in position; so I called ZZZ Operations requesting wing walkers. It took several minutes for the wing walkers to arrive. When they finally arrived they meandered at a noticeably slow pace (no sense of urgency whatsoever). Each wing walker picked up one lighted wand (instead of the required 2 lighted wands) each. They walked slowly to their respective positions; and held up one lighted wand each. The marshaller; not noticing or not caring that his wing walkers had only one lighted wand each; began to marshall us into the safety zone. I called ZZZ Operations a second time requesting that each wing walker get a second lighted wand. By this time we were blocking nearly a dozen vehicles and aircraft.Why does each wing walker need two lighted wands at night? First of all it is the FAA mandated SOP of [the company] that says so. One wand held in the air indicates that everything is OK; the wing is clear of obstacles; etc. What happens when a wing walker detects a safety hazard? He must cross his lighted wands to communicate an 'Emergency Stop.' If he has only one lighted wand; he cannot give this signal. Blatant violation of safety rules at ZZZ (and many of our stations; particularly the big city locations) happens on a regular daily basis. Finally; another ramp agent showed up with an arm full of lighted wands and provided both wing walkers with a second lighted wand. We had been waiting for 6 minutes with a plane load of passengers by this time. If our SOP requires compliance with a safety related procedure mandated by the FAA; it should be complied with 100% of the time. Why not just do the right thing to begin with rather than waiting for someone to remind the ramp agents to do their job correctly? It is because there is a poor 'climate;' starting with ZZZ leadership; to tolerate non-compliance. Leadership does not appear to properly train; supervise; observe; or care to correct those in non-compliance. Why do I say this? Because non-compliance is accepted and tolerated without consequence; and there is a lack of accountability in ZZZ all too often. Blatant; daily; noncompliance with the FAA mandated SOP on the ZZZ ramp has become the 'norm.' I spoke with 2 ZZZ [ramp managers]; and I was shocked by their comments and poor attitude. They were dismissive; evasive; denied that there was a chronic problem; and seemed uninterested in hearing the opinion of a pilot concerning recommendations to solve the problem. They were more interested in defending their inaction; making excuses; stonewalling; and giving ' lip service' to the issue than they were in taking effective steps to correct the ongoing problem.This is a leadership problem in ZZZ. If leadership does not lead from the top; communicate high standards of SOP compliance; conduct ongoing training; hold supervisors accountable; follow up with observing the operation on the ramp in person to ensure compliance; the ramp agents will sense that leadership does not care; so why should they? Merely putting out a memorandum to request compliance is not enough. Leaders need to get out of their offices; make daily unannounced appearances on the flight line; show interest in the individuals on the ramp; hold ramp agents accountable when they fail; and reward ramp agents when they do a good job! We need to do better to reduce the risk of dinging a wing or crunching a winglet.




Synopsis: Air Carrier Captain reported that upon arriving in the safety zone; no wing walkers were present. After the Captain called Operations for wing walkers; they arrived late and without the required number of lighted wands needed to guide the aircraft to the gate.