Gate agents wearing vests?

[wings396]

Just curious as to why AA's gate agents are wearing green safety vests? While I can understand them being used on the ramp, I fail to see any good reason for any above the wing agents to be wearing them. I can see the importance of the person guiding the A/C along with the wing-walkers using them, but beyond that it makes little sense. I worked the ramp for many years, and don't recall agents being mowed down in large numbers prior to the safety vest craze. On the other hand, I am aware of two incidents of wing-walkers being hit while wearing a vest. Someone must be cashing in big-time will the sales of these things. What next, hand them out to the passengers prior to boarding?

 

[JAFA]

Bottom line is anyone who steps foot on the ramp for any reason must have a vest. Agents, pilots, vendors, clerks, maintenance, GSE, facilites, even managers.

 

[Hopeful]

Vests are more and more becoming mandatory. I even see PA police wearing them when outside of their vehicle.
At JFK, the landscaping company has its workers wearing them and they aren't even on the ramp.

A new way of life now.

 

[Richard]

I just deleted an off topic post and the reply to it....next one NOT on the subject of vests gets the topic closed and the poster suspended.

 

[eolesen]

Just curious as to why AA's gate agents are wearing green safety vests? While I can understand them being used on the ramp, I fail to see any good reason for any above the wing agents to be wearing them. I can see the importance of the person guiding the A/C along with the wing-walkers using them, but beyond that it makes little sense.

As mentioned, lots of airports require vests on the AOA. Making the gate agents wear them makes sense to me.

When I was a gate agent, I was out on the ramp several times a week (if not daily), either to have ground equipment moved so I could re-position a jetbridge, to deliver or pick up gate bags, or to find the crew chief.

Even renting a car last week in Europe from Avis, there was a green vest in the glove box...

It's definitely a best practice, and I suspect it reduces some exposure to liability claims, and probably also lowers insurance premiums. If you were provided with a vest and still get injured from a moving vehicle, it's a lot less likely to sue the company for negligence than it would be had you not been provided with a vest.

 

[jersey777]

As mentioned, lots of airports require vests on the AOA. Making the gate agents wear them makes sense to me.

When I was a gate agent, I was out on the ramp several times a week (if not daily), either to have ground equipment moved so I could re-position a jetbridge, to deliver or pick up gate bags, or to find the crew chief.

Even renting a car last week in Europe from Avis, there was a green vest in the glove box...

It's definitely a best practice, and I suspect it reduces some exposure to liability claims, and probably also lowers insurance premiums. If you were provided with a vest and still get injured from a moving vehicle, it's a lot less likely to sue the company for negligence than it would be had you not been provided with a vest.

YOU were a gate agent?!

 

[Rogallo]

He/She has done it all

 

[eolesen]

Not all, but certainly a lot... The only areas in the airport I didn't work in during my 17+ years were freight/mail and the hangar. That's what happens when you make it a point to find a change of scenery every 2-3 years.