Hopefully it wasn't a matter of more cost, to use the ramp. Perhaps it was 'spoken for' with another plane. For our trip in June, AA from Miami had a ramp to the FRONT of the plane, both ways. When we arrived, we were in the back of the plane and didn't realize there was a ramp at the front, or I would have taken it, even though I would have had to wait longer to get off. I have stopped taking a regular carry-on bag for me, as I can't manage it with stairs. One time post Irma, an airport worker saw me struggling with my carry-on bag, and he came up and got it for me and carried it down. I was very impressed with that.