AN ACR FLC FLYING A B727 AT DOV RPTS CONFUSION BTWN THE FLC AND DISPATCH REGARDING THE BOARDING OF PAX WITHOUT FLC OR CABIN CREW TO SUPERVISE.

Narrative

OUR FLC WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY A CHARTER FROM DOV TO CLT. THE ORIGINAL DEP TIME WAS PUSHED BACK DUE TO MINIMUM REST REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FLC. WE (THE FLC) ARRIVED TO BASE OPS APPROX XA00. THE CAPT AND FO THEN BEGAN TO REVIEW THE DEP PAPERS. I COPIED DOWN THE NECESSARY INFO FOR ME TO COMPLETE MY PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS AS WELL AS FUEL LOAD DATA. WITH THIS; I THEN PROCEEDED OUT TO THE RAMP TO PERFORM MY PREFLT INSPECTIONS. DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES FROM OUR ARR EARLIER THAT DAY; WE WERE UNABLE TO USE CERTAIN FUEL TRUCKS ON OUR ACFT SO IT HAD BEEN ARRANGED THAT A CONTRACT VENDOR WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR FUELING. AS I APCHED THE ACFT THE FUELER APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN ALREADY HOOKED UP TO THE ACFT AWAITING A FUEL ORDER. I PROMPTLY GAVE HIM THE FUEL ORDER. I THEN BEGAN TO PERFORM MY EXTERIOR SAFETY INSPECTION. DURING THIS INSPECTION I ENCOUNTERED THE PERSON IN CHARGE ON THE RAMP NEAR THE ACFT. I ASKED HER HOW LONG SHE HAD BEEN WAITING AND SHE SAID THAT THEY HAD BEEN WAITING APPROX 1 HR. I THEN NOTICED THAT THERE WERE PEOPLE STANDING IN THE MAIN CABIN DOOR ENTRY. I PROCEEDED UP THE STAIRS AND INTO THE COCKPIT TO ASSURE EXTERNAL PWR WAS AVAILABLE TO BEGIN THE FUELING PROCESS. AS I RECALL; THE EXTERNAL PWR WAS CONNECTED TO THE ACFT AND I BELIEVE AT THAT TIME I MAY HAVE SWITCHED THE SHIP'S PWR TO EXTERNAL IF IT HAD NOT ALREADY BEEN DONE. I THEN CONTINUED MY CONVERSATION WITH THE SPOKESPERSON ABOUT THE PAX. SHE INFORMED ME THAT A DISPATCHER/FLT CTL GAVE HER THE PERMISSION TO BOARD THE ACFT WITHOUT THE FLC OR FLT ATTENDANTS ON BOARD. MEANWHILE THE FUELER HAS ALREADY BEGUN THE FUELING PROCESS. I EVALUATED THE SIT AND INITIALLY THOUGHT THAT FUELING THE ACFT WITH PAX ON BOARD WITH NO FLT ATTENDANTS WAS ACCEPTABLE AS LONG AS THE MAIN CABIN DOOR WAS OPEN AND A CREW MEMBER WAS ABOARD. AFTER REFING MY OPS MANUAL; I REALIZED THE PREVIOUS STATEMENT WAS INCORRECT. BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO ALTER THE SIT; THE FUELING PROCESS WAS COMPLETE. THE FUELER CAME ABOARD AND REQUESTED PAYMENT. I INFORMED HIM THAT THE CAPT HAD THE COMPANY CREDIT CARD AND WAS IN BASE OPS. NOW I WAS STUCK WITH A PLANE FULL OF DELAYED PAX; FULLY FUELED AND NO WAY TO CONTACT THE CAPT AT BASE OPS. THE APU WAS STARTED IN ORDER TO GIVE THE PAX AIR CONDITIONING AND VENTILATION. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE BACK OF THE ACFT; I REALIZED THE PAX ELECTED TO FEED THEMSELVES FROM THE CATERING CARTS IN THE GALLEY. EMPTY FOOD BOXES AND LITTER WERE THROWN ABOUT THE CABIN. THE CAPT AND FO ARRIVED LATER. ONCE THE CAPT REALIZED THE PAX WERE BOARDED HE PROCEEDED BACK TO BASE OPS TO CONTACT COMPANY. THE FO AND MYSELF ELECTED TO STAY WITH THE ACFT. IT WAS LATER DECIDED THAT THE PAX WOULD DEPLANE THE ACFT SO THE FLT ATTENDANTS WOULD BE ABLE TO PERFORM THEIR REQUIRED SAFETY CHKS. UPON COMPLETION; THE FLT DEPARTED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THAT SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THIS EVENT: PRIOR APPROVAL FROM COMPANY TO ALLOW THE BOARDING TO BEGIN WITHOUT QUALIFIED CREW MEMBERS PRESENT. MISCONCEPTION OF THE LEGALITY OF FUELING THE ACFT WITH PAX ABOARD AND NO QUALIFIED CREW MEMBERS ABOARD.