Narrative:

Upon parking at the gate at msy, the left wingtip made contact with another airline's widebody transport baggage loader. The baggage loader appeared to be parked past the yellow line painted on the ramp like it should be. However, the cabin of the veh was extending inside the line and that was the part that was hit. The signalman on the ground was giving us the 'come forward' signal the whole time, even after the wingtip was hit. We were only 2-3' away from our planned parking place and right on the parking line painted on the ramp. The jetway at this point blocked our view of the baggage loader. Besides, our eyes were on the signalman as they should be when we are this close the jetway and our stopping position. After we felt the impact, the captain immediately stopped the aircraft despite the fact that the signalman was still commanding us to come forward. We were not parked up far enough for the jetway to be positioned onto the aircraft. Therefore, the passenger were deplaned through the aft stairs. Nobody was hurt or injured. The cause: the baggage loader should have never been parked there in the first place. The following day a bright red line was painted several ft further away and now all vehs will be parked behind the new line.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT LEFT WING TIP HIT A BAGGAGE LOADER WHILE TAXIING TO THE GATE USING SIGNALMAN GUIDANCE.

Narrative: UPON PARKING AT THE GATE AT MSY, THE LEFT WINGTIP MADE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER AIRLINE'S WDB BAGGAGE LOADER. THE BAGGAGE LOADER APPEARED TO BE PARKED PAST THE YELLOW LINE PAINTED ON THE RAMP LIKE IT SHOULD BE. HOWEVER, THE CABIN OF THE VEH WAS EXTENDING INSIDE THE LINE AND THAT WAS THE PART THAT WAS HIT. THE SIGNALMAN ON THE GND WAS GIVING US THE 'COME FORWARD' SIGNAL THE WHOLE TIME, EVEN AFTER THE WINGTIP WAS HIT. WE WERE ONLY 2-3' AWAY FROM OUR PLANNED PARKING PLACE AND RIGHT ON THE PARKING LINE PAINTED ON THE RAMP. THE JETWAY AT THIS POINT BLOCKED OUR VIEW OF THE BAGGAGE LOADER. BESIDES, OUR EYES WERE ON THE SIGNALMAN AS THEY SHOULD BE WHEN WE ARE THIS CLOSE THE JETWAY AND OUR STOPPING POS. AFTER WE FELT THE IMPACT, THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE ACFT DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE SIGNALMAN WAS STILL COMMANDING US TO COME FORWARD. WE WERE NOT PARKED UP FAR ENOUGH FOR THE JETWAY TO BE POSITIONED ONTO THE ACFT. THEREFORE, THE PAX WERE DEPLANED THROUGH THE AFT STAIRS. NOBODY WAS HURT OR INJURED. THE CAUSE: THE BAGGAGE LOADER SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN PARKED THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. THE FOLLOWING DAY A BRIGHT RED LINE WAS PAINTED SEVERAL FT FURTHER AWAY AND NOW ALL VEHS WILL BE PARKED BEHIND THE NEW LINE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.