Narrative:

I am an fpl controller at iah ATCT. We are now required to use company ramp manager from 'FD/clearance delivery' position. Whatever position (we refer to as a spot) the company ramp personnel place the aircraft in; that information is marked on the strip by 'FD/clearance delivery' and shipped to the ground controller for taxi. During a busy session; I had 2 aircraft both marked at spot 2; but one was at spot 2; the other was at spot 1. Lucky for me; I gave the taxi instructions to the spot 2 aircraft first. The aircraft made a right turn and; to my surprise; the aircraft at spot 1 made a right turn to follow the first aircraft. This could have easily have turned out the other way with a wing scrape or worse. I received another aircraft; gave taxi instructions; only to realize the aircraft was still at the gate nowhere near the spot number marked on the strip. From where the aircraft was; there were 2 taxi exit points the aircraft could have taken before I could have realized it. If the aircraft collides with something on the ramp; vehicle; jetway; etc -- who is to blame? The controller of course! With the amount of traffic that we move now (we are a level 12); it's more likely that someone will base their control instructions on false information and will taxi an aircraft into another aircraft without ever even realizing it. This situation is even more likely during rain or fog; when visibility is marginal. During an investigation; is the FAA going to blame the company ramp personnel? Certainly not! The company ramp personnel are not ATC controllers; yet air traffic is depending on information from the company ramp personnel to move aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IAH CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING INACCURATE/LATE COORD FROM COMPANY RAMP CTLRS THAT RESULTED IN A CONFLICT.

Narrative: I AM AN FPL CTLR AT IAH ATCT. WE ARE NOW REQUIRED TO USE COMPANY RAMP MGR FROM 'FD/CD' POS. WHATEVER POS (WE REFER TO AS A SPOT) THE COMPANY RAMP PERSONNEL PLACE THE ACFT IN; THAT INFO IS MARKED ON THE STRIP BY 'FD/CD' AND SHIPPED TO THE GND CTLR FOR TAXI. DURING A BUSY SESSION; I HAD 2 ACFT BOTH MARKED AT SPOT 2; BUT ONE WAS AT SPOT 2; THE OTHER WAS AT SPOT 1. LUCKY FOR ME; I GAVE THE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS TO THE SPOT 2 ACFT FIRST. THE ACFT MADE A R TURN AND; TO MY SURPRISE; THE ACFT AT SPOT 1 MADE A R TURN TO FOLLOW THE FIRST ACFT. THIS COULD HAVE EASILY HAVE TURNED OUT THE OTHER WAY WITH A WING SCRAPE OR WORSE. I RECEIVED ANOTHER ACFT; GAVE TAXI INSTRUCTIONS; ONLY TO REALIZE THE ACFT WAS STILL AT THE GATE NOWHERE NEAR THE SPOT NUMBER MARKED ON THE STRIP. FROM WHERE THE ACFT WAS; THERE WERE 2 TAXI EXIT POINTS THE ACFT COULD HAVE TAKEN BEFORE I COULD HAVE REALIZED IT. IF THE ACFT COLLIDES WITH SOMETHING ON THE RAMP; VEHICLE; JETWAY; ETC -- WHO IS TO BLAME? THE CTLR OF COURSE! WITH THE AMOUNT OF TFC THAT WE MOVE NOW (WE ARE A LEVEL 12); IT'S MORE LIKELY THAT SOMEONE WILL BASE THEIR CTL INSTRUCTIONS ON FALSE INFO AND WILL TAXI AN ACFT INTO ANOTHER ACFT WITHOUT EVER EVEN REALIZING IT. THIS SITUATION IS EVEN MORE LIKELY DURING RAIN OR FOG; WHEN VISIBILITY IS MARGINAL. DURING AN INVESTIGATION; IS THE FAA GOING TO BLAME THE COMPANY RAMP PERSONNEL? CERTAINLY NOT! THE COMPANY RAMP PERSONNEL ARE NOT ATC CTLRS; YET AIR TFC IS DEPENDING ON INFO FROM THE COMPANY RAMP PERSONNEL TO MOVE ACFT.

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.