Narrative:

During pushback before brakes set; the tug driver tells me they have 1 more bag simultaneously while another ramp employee opens the pit before clearance from me or parking brake set. I asked tue tug driver if she knew we had to set the brakes and I give clearance to open the cargo door and she replied 'I wasn't aware of that.' we now have what I perceive as a new unofficial; unsafe SOP. The problem is getting worse; not better. It is not isolated to 1 location or 1 operation. However; in den and ord; it seems to be the worst. I apologize for not taking this route from day #1. I thought by working with my chief pilot; fellow pilots; rampers and a note to mr X would do it. I was wrong. I believe we are just weeks or even days away from tragedy if a policy renewal and review is not done within flight operations and ramp as soon as possible. On-time has insidiously replaced safety as the priority in ramp operations. I was alarmed and embarrassed to read in your note that this issue has few instances and the operational pressures are occasional. The fact that you have that perception is my fault for not reporting every deviation from SOP. I apologize. How many other capts like me are there? My perception is that the deviations are numerous and the operational pressure is frequent to constant.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 CAPT NOTES A GENERAL BREAKDOWN IN SOP ADHERENCE FOLLOWING RAMP PERSONNEL'S FAILURE TO OBSERVE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT OPENING RESTRS WHEN OFF THE GATE.

Narrative: DURING PUSHBACK BEFORE BRAKES SET; THE TUG DRIVER TELLS ME THEY HAVE 1 MORE BAG SIMULTANEOUSLY WHILE ANOTHER RAMP EMPLOYEE OPENS THE PIT BEFORE CLRNC FROM ME OR PARKING BRAKE SET. I ASKED TUE TUG DRIVER IF SHE KNEW WE HAD TO SET THE BRAKES AND I GIVE CLRNC TO OPEN THE CARGO DOOR AND SHE REPLIED 'I WASN'T AWARE OF THAT.' WE NOW HAVE WHAT I PERCEIVE AS A NEW UNOFFICIAL; UNSAFE SOP. THE PROB IS GETTING WORSE; NOT BETTER. IT IS NOT ISOLATED TO 1 LOCATION OR 1 OP. HOWEVER; IN DEN AND ORD; IT SEEMS TO BE THE WORST. I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT TAKING THIS RTE FROM DAY #1. I THOUGHT BY WORKING WITH MY CHIEF PLT; FELLOW PLTS; RAMPERS AND A NOTE TO MR X WOULD DO IT. I WAS WRONG. I BELIEVE WE ARE JUST WKS OR EVEN DAYS AWAY FROM TRAGEDY IF A POLICY RENEWAL AND REVIEW IS NOT DONE WITHIN FLT OPS AND RAMP ASAP. ON-TIME HAS INSIDIOUSLY REPLACED SAFETY AS THE PRIORITY IN RAMP OPS. I WAS ALARMED AND EMBARRASSED TO READ IN YOUR NOTE THAT THIS ISSUE HAS FEW INSTANCES AND THE OPERATIONAL PRESSURES ARE OCCASIONAL. THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE THAT PERCEPTION IS MY FAULT FOR NOT RPTING EVERY DEV FROM SOP. I APOLOGIZE. HOW MANY OTHER CAPTS LIKE ME ARE THERE? MY PERCEPTION IS THAT THE DEVS ARE NUMEROUS AND THE OPERATIONAL PRESSURE IS FREQUENT TO CONSTANT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.