A method and an apparatus for doffing yarn packages from and supplying empty bobbins to a textile machine with a vertically movable bobbin rail with a bobbin bearing, a flyer inverted U-shaped revolving device and spindle with a spindle holding mechanism, a revolving, storage system with a storage hoist, which can be controlled by the textile machine and is above the spindle holding mechanism. Below the storage hoist, a bobbin creel is provided with mandrels for accommodating or transferring full packages or empty bobbins. The bobbin creel can be moved vertically up to the bobbin rail and can be pushed into the textile machine between the spindle and the bobbin rail. Within the bobbin rail a switching mechanism corresponds to the spindle holding mechanism. The spindle holding mechanism is, disposed within the spindle and is comprised of a latch. A switching element, corresponding to the latch is disposed within the spindle holding mechanism.