B747-400 FLT CREW IS RELEASED FROM THE GUIDE MAN AFTER PUSHBACK AND PREPARES TO TAXI WITH THE PUSHBACK TUG STILL ATTACHED TO THE ACFT.

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THE STATION PERSONNEL INFORMED US THAT TO SAVE MONEY; WE (ACR X) HAD AWARDED A CONTRACT TO SOMEONE ELSE ON THE ARPT FOR PUSHBACK SVCS. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE NEW CONTRACTOR WAS NOT COMPLYING WITH ACR X'S PUSHBACK SOP. THEY TOLD ME THAT ON A PREVIOUS FLT; THE PUSHBACK CREW DID NOT GIVE A 'SALUTE AND RELEASE FROM GUIDANCE;' AND JUST LEFT THE ACFT AFTER DISCONNECTING THE TOW BAR AND HEAD SET. THE CREW OF THAT FLT HAD TO CALL OPS AND WAIT SOME TIME FOR THE PUSH CREW TO COME OUT AND 'SALUTE.' I NOTED THE INFO GIVEN TO ME AND COMMITTED TO BEING PARTICULARLY VIGILANT DURING OUR PUSHBACK. DURING THE PUSH; I WAS VERY CAREFUL TO USE EXACT SOP VERBIAGE WITH THE MAN ON THE HEADSET. WHEN HE ASKED TO DISCONNECT THE HEAD SET; I SAID 'DISCONNECT HEAD SET; I WILL WATCH FOR YOUR SALUTE AND RELEASE FROM GUIDANCE.' A FEW MOMENTS LATER; A MAN APPEARED AT MY 10 O'CLOCK POS; AND WAS HOLDING UP THE NOSE GEAR DOWN LOCK PIN OVER HIS HEAD; WITH 2 HANDS; AS I'VE SEEN DONE AT SOME OTHER AIRLINES. I TOOK MY HAND FROM THE L RWY TURNOFF LIGHT SWITCH AND PUT IT UP NEAR MY FOREHEAD AND MOVED IT AS IT TO INQUIRE 'ARE YOU GOING TO GIVE A SALUTE AND RELEASE FROM GUIDANCE?' HE THEN GAVE ME A CASUAL SALUTE AND POINTED WITH HIS FINGER TOWARD THE RWY BEING USED FOR DEPS; AND WALKED AWAY. I THEN ANNOUNCED TO THE FO; 'I HAVE A SALUTE AND RELEASE FROM GUIDANCE. TAXI CLRNC;' AFTER WHICH I RESET MY AUDIO PANEL TO LISTEN ON GND CTL FOR THE FO'S CALL FOR TAXI CLRNC AND GND CTL'S RESPONSE. THE FO THEN URGENTLY SAID 'WAIT; WAIT; WAIT! WE STILL HAVE THE TUG UNDER THE NOSE OF THE ACFT!' I SAID 'YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!' WE STOPPED EVERYTHING RIGHT THERE AND DISCUSSED THE HAZARDOUS CHAIN OF EVENTS WHILE WAITING FOR THE TUG AND WHAT WE ASSUMED ALL PUSHBACK PERSONNEL TO CLR FROM UNDER THE ACFT. I CALLED OPS AND TOLD THEM OF THE EVENTS; AND STRONGLY SUGGESTED THAT THEY MEET WITH THE NEW CONTRACTOR TO GO OVER THE PUSHBACK PROCS TO PREVENT ANOTHER INCIDENT LIKE OURS.