Why was this van parked like this, right on the centerline blocking my flight from its arrival gate today at BOS?

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OtterVA@reddit

American was behind on its landing fees… had to make sure they paid outstanding bill before they would let anymore AA planes parked.

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SubstantialDust9422@reddit

The tow truck hooked up to that tug is a clue

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WhiskeyMikeMike@reddit

That truck is parked back up to a truck of the exact same type as it, not a tug
They aren’t tow trucks, they’re regular maintenance trucks that AA uses.

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WhiskeyMikeMike@reddit

you may want to familiarize yourself with airport ground equipment and their uses.

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CardboardTick@reddit

May have something to do with that tow truck at the park line. Standing there for visibility

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Ok_Hovercraft_2854@reddit

This is probably the correct answer. The amount of people blaming the ground crew without noticing the tow truck is astonishing.

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Castle_Of_Glass@reddit

It’s a reminder to wait in case the pilots miss the red lights at the gate. Why did no one mention the lights in this thread?

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Horror-Raisin-877@reddit

No one mentions it because they mostly have little idea what they’re talking about :)

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I used to have AOA clearance and parked by the aircraft. I sold chemicals to the Detroit metro airport. I once parked a wee bit over a line and prevented a plane from its gate. I had a person tell me I had under a minute to move it or it would be towed. I moved it real fast.

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prex10@reddit

Because the driver probably is on a work release program and makes 12 bucks an hour and couldn't care less.

That isn't sarcasm. That's just a flat out description of the guys that are out working on the ramp.

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Impromark@reddit

Someone owed someone money.

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EWR-RampRat11-29@reddit

When you gotta go, you gotta go.

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FastSimple6902@reddit

Waiting for the GOAT Truck to leave with the Repo

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Epic_Phail505@reddit

Either a ramper being stupid parking where they aren’t supposed to, or possibly a maintenance crew working on something on or at the gate that wanted to have an extra layer of reminder/prevention from having a plane come in unexpectedly

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Existing_Spray7994@reddit

Although I don't work with American, typically things like that at my ramp job is someone being unaware a plane is going to come in at that time and incompetently parking it there because it's convenient, rather than maneuvering through all the other equipment in the background there.

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AnnoyingCelticsFan@reddit

This is the exact reason for half the gate holds at my terminal in BOS

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Sheriff_Walrus@reddit

As someone who does work with American, I can't guarantee this is what's happening here, but we did have to set the parking brake and wait for them to push a belt loader from its convenient parking spot of ~5 feet off of the gate centerline going into Cleveland today

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ezraMD2001@reddit

I've done this but...... Worked Marriott InFlite . And I parked the catering truck at a gate I thought was closed delaying a plane from arriving.

My excuse was ... The ramp at TPA was under construction so go/nogo areas changed every once in awhile. That and I was 18 yo.

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Mauro_Ranallo@reddit

Love spending 5 minutes trying to find the driver of the cleaning crew van who parked way over the line with a jet staring us down lol.

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BrtFrkwr@reddit

They park like that in Boston.

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TheProcesSherpa@reddit

Look, I’m just gonna be a second, just runnin’ into the Dunkin’.

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CounterSimple3771@reddit

Smaat Paak!

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just_anotherReddit@reddit

I’ve drove through the Boston area, can confirm. They can’t park and pull out of a parking spot.

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joesnopes@reddit

... and not only at the airport?

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CaptainMundane893@reddit

It's to indicate to an incoming flight's pilot that there's been a gate change. They've already been informed prior to landing, but they park a vehicle on the taxiing line as a physical indicator. Helps to inform ground crews so they check their updated assignments, too.

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Icy_Huckleberry_8049@reddit

probably a contractor that parked it in the wrong spot. It happens as they don't know the airport.

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Sk8terboi__@reddit

Sometimes there are rules about not driving while an aircraft is in motion.

I worked at UPS Worldport and the aircraft ALWAYS had priority. If you forced an aircraft to stop then it became a fireable offense. I believe this is what is happening in the photo.

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