Widebody transport captain reports that wheelchairs for non-ambulatory passenger are placed in jetwa...

Attributes
ACN	802470
Time
Date	200808
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	802470
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company FAA
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

With every arrival at the international terminal; and on arrival with this flight; there is always a line up in the jetbridge of wheelchairs. The international terminal uses only one jetbridge on a widebody aircraft. The jetbridge is effectively reduced to a single lane exit due to the wheelchair line up. The aircraft's exit doors are disarmed at arrival and if there is an emergency onboard the aircraft; a fire or such; disaster will ensue as passengers will be unable to expeditiously evacuate the aircraft at the international gate with the wheelchairs in the jetbridge. I would advocate that the wheel chairs wait in the terminal until all ambulatory passengers have deplaned. This issue seems to have gone unresolved since bringing it to the attention of local authorities some time ago.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter was unsure who is responsible for administration of wheelchair access procedures; the airlines or the airport management. His concerns are that in a worst case situation such as a fire at the gate; after all exits have been disarmed; hundreds of passenger would be restricted to a single lane from a single door to exit the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB CAPTAIN REPORTS THAT WHEELCHAIRS FOR NON-AMBULATORY PAX ARE PLACED IN JETWAY PRIOR TO DEPLANING; POTENTIALY IMPEDING RAPID EGRESS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.

Narrative: WITH EVERY ARRIVAL AT THE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL; AND ON ARRIVAL WITH THIS FLIGHT; THERE IS ALWAYS A LINE UP IN THE JETBRIDGE OF WHEELCHAIRS. THE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL USES ONLY ONE JETBRIDGE ON A WIDEBODY AIRCRAFT. THE JETBRIDGE IS EFFECTIVELY REDUCED TO A SINGLE LANE EXIT DUE TO THE WHEELCHAIR LINE UP. THE AIRCRAFT'S EXIT DOORS ARE DISARMED AT ARRIVAL AND IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT; A FIRE OR SUCH; DISASTER WILL ENSUE AS PASSENGERS WILL BE UNABLE TO EXPEDITIOUSLY EVACUATE THE AIRCRAFT AT THE INTERNATIONAL GATE WITH THE WHEELCHAIRS IN THE JETBRIDGE. I WOULD ADVOCATE THAT THE WHEEL CHAIRS WAIT IN THE TERMINAL UNTIL ALL AMBULATORY PASSENGERS HAVE DEPLANED. THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO HAVE GONE UNRESOLVED SINCE BRINGING IT TO THE ATTENTION OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES SOME TIME AGO.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER WAS UNSURE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTRATION OF WHEELCHAIR ACCESS PROCEDURES; THE AIRLINES OR THE ARPT MANAGEMENT. HIS CONCERNS ARE THAT IN A WORST CASE SITUATION SUCH AS A FIRE AT THE GATE; AFTER ALL EXITS HAVE BEEN DISARMED; HUNDREDS OF PAX WOULD BE RESTRICTED TO A SINGLE LANE FROM A SINGLE DOOR TO EXIT THE ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

Widebody transport captain reports that wheelchairs for non-ambulatory passenger are placed in jetway prior to deplaning; potentialy impeding rapid egress in the event of an emergency.