AN A321 CAPT DISCUSSES THE CLT WEST RAMP ARPT PARKING POLICY AND ALLEGES THAT IT IS A HAZARD FOR ACFT TAXIING TO AND FROM THE TERMINAL AND RWYS 18R/36L.

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CONTINUING RAMP HAZARDS AT CLT. CITY ARPT AUTHORITY PERSISTS IN PARKING ACFT ON WEST RAMP AREA OF TERMINAL; CREATING A HAZARD RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF ARR/DEP TAXI RTES TO/FROM WEST RWY (RWY 18R/36L) AND GATES. THEY HAVE PUT ORANGE CONES AND SMALL ROAD CONSTRUCTION TYPE BATTERY POWERED FLASHING LIGHTS AROUND SOME ACFT PARKED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEST RAMP; BUT THESE DEVICES ARE TOO SMALL; TOO FAR; AND TOO DIM TO REALLY HELP MUCH. THE CITY REALLY NEEDS TO FIND SOME OTHER; BETTER LOCATION TO PARK ACFT NOT BEING USED. THIS IS ESPECIALLY CRITICAL AT NIGHT OR IN IMC. LET'S NOT WAIT TO SOLVE THIS AFTER THE INEVITABLE COLLISION! I HAVE CALLED THE FAA ATC TWR AND THEY SAID IT WAS A CITY ARPT ISSUE SINCE RAMP IS A NON-MOVEMENT AREA. I HAVE FILED COMPANY SAFETY RPTS; BUT THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE PARKING POLICY IS LEADING TO WHAT IS TERMED 'THE NORMALIZATION OF DEVIANCE' AND THAT THE RESULT MAY BE THAT PLTS BECOME SO USED TO THE CONGESTION THAT AN INCIDENT OR ACCIDENT WILL RESULT FOLLOWING A LAPSE IN DILIGENCE. THE RPTR CLAIMS THAT THE RAMP AREA HAS POOR LIGHTING; POOR TAXI LINE MARKINGS; AND NO MARKINGS FOR NIGHTTIME OPERATIONS. THE RPTR'S SUGGESTION IS TO SOMEHOW FIND A SOLUTION TO PARK THE ACFT IN A MANNER CREATING LESS CONGESTION ON THE WEST RAMP AREA BETWEEN THE HARD STANDS AND TERMINAL THUS PROVIDING A MORE CLEARLY DEFINED PATH WHILE STILL ALLOWING PARKING.