Date: 201701
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: PHL.Airport, PA
Light: Dusk
Aircraft: A320
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Taxi
ATC / advisory: Ramp PHL
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Situational Awareness
Anomaly: Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Taxi
Result: Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Contributing factors: Airport; Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: While turning into gate it was required to emergency stop aircraft to avoid colliding with a tug (bag carts attached) traveling on road at a high speed across the front of aircraft path. Tug driver did not give the right of way to the aircraft. Then crossing the nose of the aircraft the tug tried to stop; skidded; seemed to nearly jackknife as the back of the tug 'reared-up'; and then to accelerate again as I stopped the aircraft. I stopped the aircraft at the head of gate and awaited a Marshall and wing walkers. After approximately 5 minutes and a call to Operations; the marshal and right wing walker showed and positioned themselves. The left wing walker appeared and very slowly approached from the ramp / terminal building. The left wing walker would not raise his wand or properly observe to signal safe taxi-in nor was he viewing the left wing tip to ensure clearance. He just stood there with his back to the wing tip; facing the marshal waving his wane. A call to Operations describing what was required was made. Then a second call.The left wing walker stood there and just flipped his wand like a baton. A company aircraft that had just pushed-out from [the adjacent] gate; and while blocked on the taxiway observed the same and relayed this information to the ramp controller. While the left wing-walker stood there a push-out tug approaching from adjacent gate nearly backed into him as it transitioned into the 'clear-zone' and turned quickly away when approximately 3 feet from him. While we were stopped awaiting to complete taxi-in vehicles drove past the aircraft nose transitioning through the gate 'clear-zone'. Vehicles on the roadway and westbound aircraft on the taxiway were blocked. I asked Operations if they thought a 'shut-down tow-in' would help (to alleviate the building of blocked traffic). I did not receive a definitive answer. However our ability to safely park; the ground vehicles ability to continue on the road; and westbound taxiing aircraft on the taxiway were unable to move causing an operational gridlock. After being stopped for approximately 15 minutes a ramp manager counseled the left wing walker. The left wing walker was then properly positioned and followed SOPs. The color of the left wing walker's vest indicated to me he was not a probationary employee; had experience; and therefore should have known proper procedures. I would further submit this employee displayed an attitude of recalcitrance as evidenced by his very slow initial appearance from the terminal building. By his very slow positioning on the ramp. By his gestures directed at the cockpit. And by his lack to follow SOPs. Counseling and the mandatory retraining of this employee as well as a documentation of this event in his permanent personnel file.




Synopsis: A320 Captain experienced a ground conflict with a tug pulling carts requiring a sudden stop of the aircraft. Taxi into the gate was delayed further by the late arrival of the left Wing Walker and his seemingly inability to perform his job according to SOPs.