MD80 CREW HAD A COMPETING ACR CREW TAXI TO THE GATE THAT CAME CLOSE TO AND OVER THE ACFT. THE RAMP AREA IN QUESTION WAS UNCTLED BY THE TWR.

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CONFLICT WITH B737 AT PUSHBACK. FLT PUSHED BACK FROM GATE AT MSY AT XA40 LCL. DURING ENG START THE FO SAID; 'WOW.' WITH THAT I TURNED L TO SEE THE WINGTIP OF A B737 LITERALLY PASS RIGHT BY MY COCKPIT WINDOW. THE B737 CUT BTWN OUR GATE; AND OUR ACFT AT A RAPID SPD. IN MY ESTIMATION THE WINGTIP PASSED LESS THAN 10 FT FROM OUR ACFT. THEIR WINGTIP HAD TO PASS OVER OUR WINGTIP TO GET BY US. ALSO; OUR PUSH CREW WAS STILL ATTACHED TO OUR MD80 AT THE TIME. THEY PASSED OUR ACFT. THE CREW OF FLT X GAVE US NO WARNING THAT THEY WERE CUTTING BTWN US AND THE TERMINAL. WE WERE STILL ATTACHED TO THE TUG AND STARTING ENGS. THEY WERE NOT ON A TAXI LINE PLUS THEY WERE TAXIING FAST; WAY TOO FAST FOR PASSING OUR ACFT. I DID GET ON THE RADIO AND SAID 'THEIR WINGTIP PASSED AWFULLY CLOSE TO OUR COCKPIT.' THEIR REPLY WAS 'WE SHOULD HAVE PUSHED BACK FURTHER.' IN NEARLY 30 YRS OF MIL FLT AND WITH ACR; I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH A TOTAL DISREGARD FOR GND ACFT SAFETY AS WHAT HAPPENED AT MSY DURING OUR PUSH. THIS FLT X PUT OUR ACFT AND PAX; THEIR ACFT AND PAX AND OUR PUSH CREW IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY. MSY IS AN UNCTLED RAMP AREA. HOWEVER THE AREA TO THE R OF OUR ACFT (LOOKING TO THE TERMINAL) WAS TOTALLY OPEN. THIS B737 COULD HAVE TAXIED RIGHT TO GATE AND AVOIDED THE CONFLICT WITH OUR PUSHBACK. THEY INSTEAD ELECTED TO CUT BTWN US AND THE TERMINAL. THEY DID SO AT A VERY HIGH TAXI SPD WITH NO HEADS UP TO US. THIS WAS A TOTALLY UNNECESSARY AND UNSAFE MANEUVER BY THE CREW.