Narrative:

It was sunday and they wanted to accommodate everyone; they have done this before? Accepted an aircraft (gate X) during a late and quick turn swap. When getting releases from the gate was informed that they (the gate) was dealing with an over sold flight and they asked us for help in getting the flight filled. Could we help out. I informed them that we would do what we could. We were given restrs of 48 passenger and 52 bags. They; someone other than the crew; loaded 47 and 71. I asked for removal of 500+ pounds. I was told I did something wrong; to hide bags inside; was asked to compromise safety in front of passenger and again made to feel like we had made a mistake. 39 mins late and was asked over and over how this happened. I called operations and asked them to send inside and outside supervisors out; for backup. What I got was this supervisor who while on the aircraft in front of passenger asked me how 'I did this' and what I did wrong and why my numbers don't add up. Each time I asked why we are having this discussion. Why instead of removing the weight were they pressuring us like this. I; no my crew and I were pressured (heavily) by ramp and baggage and the active ramp supervisor to go. They were pressuring us by making me feel like I had done something wrong. Why were they not listening to me when I asked to have weight removed; simple deal. We refused to be a smoking hole in the ground and they would not take the weight off. The supervisor's supervisor came out and in the cockpit wanted to see why he had to take weight off. Did we have the plane over fueled? How is he going to justify the thousands this is going to cost him? I showed him our numbers. Plugged them in again for him while he watched how we did it (we had to prove it) and again it (the ACARS) came back with 500 pounds overweight. What is wrong with this picture?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CAPT DESCRIBES PRESSURE FROM MULTIPLE LEVELS OF COMPANY CUSTOMER SVC SUPVRS TO JUSTIFY REFUSING TO LOAD THE ACFT OUTSIDE ITS LIMITS.

Narrative: IT WAS SUNDAY AND THEY WANTED TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYONE; THEY HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE? ACCEPTED AN ACFT (GATE X) DURING A LATE AND QUICK TURN SWAP. WHEN GETTING RELEASES FROM THE GATE WAS INFORMED THAT THEY (THE GATE) WAS DEALING WITH AN OVER SOLD FLT AND THEY ASKED US FOR HELP IN GETTING THE FLT FILLED. COULD WE HELP OUT. I INFORMED THEM THAT WE WOULD DO WHAT WE COULD. WE WERE GIVEN RESTRS OF 48 PAX AND 52 BAGS. THEY; SOMEONE OTHER THAN THE CREW; LOADED 47 AND 71. I ASKED FOR REMOVAL OF 500+ LBS. I WAS TOLD I DID SOMETHING WRONG; TO HIDE BAGS INSIDE; WAS ASKED TO COMPROMISE SAFETY IN FRONT OF PAX AND AGAIN MADE TO FEEL LIKE WE HAD MADE A MISTAKE. 39 MINS LATE AND WAS ASKED OVER AND OVER HOW THIS HAPPENED. I CALLED OPS AND ASKED THEM TO SEND INSIDE AND OUTSIDE SUPVRS OUT; FOR BACKUP. WHAT I GOT WAS THIS SUPVR WHO WHILE ON THE ACFT IN FRONT OF PAX ASKED ME HOW 'I DID THIS' AND WHAT I DID WRONG AND WHY MY NUMBERS DON'T ADD UP. EACH TIME I ASKED WHY WE ARE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION. WHY INSTEAD OF REMOVING THE WT WERE THEY PRESSURING US LIKE THIS. I; NO MY CREW AND I WERE PRESSURED (HEAVILY) BY RAMP AND BAGGAGE AND THE ACTIVE RAMP SUPVR TO GO. THEY WERE PRESSURING US BY MAKING ME FEEL LIKE I HAD DONE SOMETHING WRONG. WHY WERE THEY NOT LISTENING TO ME WHEN I ASKED TO HAVE WT REMOVED; SIMPLE DEAL. WE REFUSED TO BE A SMOKING HOLE IN THE GND AND THEY WOULD NOT TAKE THE WT OFF. THE SUPVR'S SUPVR CAME OUT AND IN THE COCKPIT WANTED TO SEE WHY HE HAD TO TAKE WT OFF. DID WE HAVE THE PLANE OVER FUELED? HOW IS HE GOING TO JUSTIFY THE THOUSANDS THIS IS GOING TO COST HIM? I SHOWED HIM OUR NUMBERS. PLUGGED THEM IN AGAIN FOR HIM WHILE HE WATCHED HOW WE DID IT (WE HAD TO PROVE IT) AND AGAIN IT (THE ACARS) CAME BACK WITH 500 LBS OVERWT. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?

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.