Narrative:

After landing at stl, I was given clearance to my gate via taxiway hotel. As a fairly new captain, I was very familiar with stl and with non-normal procedures entering their congested ramp areas. My first officer was brand new and not familiar at all. I was trying to explain that we normally give air carrier B ramp control a courtesy call inbound to our gates to avoid conflict with traffic coming outbound. It was a short distance and I couldn't get this message across in time to complete the call before we were in conflict with 1 of their outbound aircraft. Ground metering had advised to pull up to 'spot hotel.' hearing this, and realizing that I was on taxiway hotel, I decided to continue taxiing at my present speed and turn left into my gate ahead of air carrier B and between him and some parked aircraft. At no time did I taxi fast. At no time did I feel unsafe, or that clearance distances were compromised. However, there arose numerous complaints on ground control, first from the #1 air carrier B aircraft and then from a long line of his buddies. I was at a loss to understand what I had done to draw their anger, so I pulled all available charts and studied them. Still nothing that would indicate a problem. So, I called air carrier B ramp monitor on the phone. He explained that taxiway hotel is 2-WAY street and all traffic should keep to the right. No signs, nor FAA charts tell you this. But, now I know!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 737 CAPT RECEIVES A LOT OF GUFF AFTER TAXIING INTO GATE AT RAMP SHARED WITH SECOND ACR.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG AT STL, I WAS GIVEN CLRNC TO MY GATE VIA TXWY HOTEL. AS A FAIRLY NEW CAPT, I WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH STL AND WITH NON-NORMAL PROCS ENTERING THEIR CONGESTED RAMP AREAS. MY FO WAS BRAND NEW AND NOT FAMILIAR AT ALL. I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN THAT WE NORMALLY GIVE ACR B RAMP CTL A COURTESY CALL INBOUND TO OUR GATES TO AVOID CONFLICT WITH TFC COMING OUTBOUND. IT WAS A SHORT DISTANCE AND I COULDN'T GET THIS MESSAGE ACROSS IN TIME TO COMPLETE THE CALL BEFORE WE WERE IN CONFLICT WITH 1 OF THEIR OUTBOUND ACFT. GND METERING HAD ADVISED TO PULL UP TO 'SPOT HOTEL.' HEARING THIS, AND REALIZING THAT I WAS ON TXWY HOTEL, I DECIDED TO CONTINUE TAXIING AT MY PRESENT SPD AND TURN L INTO MY GATE AHEAD OF ACR B AND BTWN HIM AND SOME PARKED ACFT. AT NO TIME DID I TAXI FAST. AT NO TIME DID I FEEL UNSAFE, OR THAT CLRNC DISTANCES WERE COMPROMISED. HOWEVER, THERE AROSE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON GND CTL, FIRST FROM THE #1 ACR B ACFT AND THEN FROM A LONG LINE OF HIS BUDDIES. I WAS AT A LOSS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I HAD DONE TO DRAW THEIR ANGER, SO I PULLED ALL AVAILABLE CHARTS AND STUDIED THEM. STILL NOTHING THAT WOULD INDICATE A PROB. SO, I CALLED ACR B RAMP MONITOR ON THE PHONE. HE EXPLAINED THAT TXWY HOTEL IS 2-WAY STREET AND ALL TFC SHOULD KEEP TO THE R. NO SIGNS, NOR FAA CHARTS TELL YOU THIS. BUT, NOW I KNOW!

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.