Narrative:

Nov/sat/05; scheduled departure XA29; pushed back from gate on time by a very professional; polite; and completed by SOP pushback crew. During this time no other aircraft taxiing or pushing near us; especially from air carrier X gates across from our gate. Shortly after the pushback crew disconnect; while still near the aircraft; and while the lineman was attempting to give the salute and release signal; an air carrier X employee driving a baggage tug approached to within 8-10 ft of the crew; waving his arm aggressively; seemingly indicating that they were in his way and wanted them to get out of it. This activity interrupted the salute and release signal communication to the captain; followed by the air carrier X employee zooming off between the aircraft and the push crew; passing within 7-8 ft of both the tug and signaling lineman still on foot. This was absolutely unnecessary; unsafe; and ridiculous behavior for any airline ramp personnel; harassing our employees while performing their SOP's in a purely professional manner. This directly interfered with the dispatch of my aircraft. There was more than ample room for the air carrier X employee to go behind the ground crew; so much so that at half the distance back to the north satellite building he would not even have been noticed. This was purely for harassment purposes; and would not be the first of this type of incident with air carrier X ramp personnel that I have heard of. If verbal discussions with air carrier X management staff has not been fruitful; it is high time we get seattle port (airport) authority/authorized; and the FAA involved. This is unsatisfactory. This is a major safety issue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 CAPT COMMENTS ON ANOTHER ACR'S RAMP AGENT ON A TUG ACTING RECKLESSLY BY DRIVING ERRATICALLY AND THREATENING HIS PUSHBACK CREW.

Narrative: NOV/SAT/05; SCHEDULED DEP XA29; PUSHED BACK FROM GATE ON TIME BY A VERY PROFESSIONAL; POLITE; AND COMPLETED BY SOP PUSHBACK CREW. DURING THIS TIME NO OTHER ACFT TAXIING OR PUSHING NEAR US; ESPECIALLY FROM ACR X GATES ACROSS FROM OUR GATE. SHORTLY AFTER THE PUSHBACK CREW DISCONNECT; WHILE STILL NEAR THE ACFT; AND WHILE THE LINEMAN WAS ATTEMPTING TO GIVE THE SALUTE AND RELEASE SIGNAL; AN ACR X EMPLOYEE DRIVING A BAGGAGE TUG APCHED TO WITHIN 8-10 FT OF THE CREW; WAVING HIS ARM AGGRESSIVELY; SEEMINGLY INDICATING THAT THEY WERE IN HIS WAY AND WANTED THEM TO GET OUT OF IT. THIS ACTIVITY INTERRUPTED THE SALUTE AND RELEASE SIGNAL COM TO THE CAPT; FOLLOWED BY THE ACR X EMPLOYEE ZOOMING OFF BTWN THE ACFT AND THE PUSH CREW; PASSING WITHIN 7-8 FT OF BOTH THE TUG AND SIGNALING LINEMAN STILL ON FOOT. THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY UNNECESSARY; UNSAFE; AND RIDICULOUS BEHAVIOR FOR ANY AIRLINE RAMP PERSONNEL; HARASSING OUR EMPLOYEES WHILE PERFORMING THEIR SOP'S IN A PURELY PROFESSIONAL MANNER. THIS DIRECTLY INTERFERED WITH THE DISPATCH OF MY ACFT. THERE WAS MORE THAN AMPLE ROOM FOR THE ACR X EMPLOYEE TO GO BEHIND THE GND CREW; SO MUCH SO THAT AT HALF THE DISTANCE BACK TO THE N SATELLITE BUILDING HE WOULD NOT EVEN HAVE BEEN NOTICED. THIS WAS PURELY FOR HARASSMENT PURPOSES; AND WOULD NOT BE THE FIRST OF THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT WITH ACR X RAMP PERSONNEL THAT I HAVE HEARD OF. IF VERBAL DISCUSSIONS WITH ACR X MGMNT STAFF HAS NOT BEEN FRUITFUL; IT IS HIGH TIME WE GET SEATTLE PORT (ARPT) AUTH; AND THE FAA INVOLVED. THIS IS UNSATISFACTORY. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE.

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.