who decides which/how many exit doors are used at an airport

[edwardh1]

I am not a pilot. a self loader person as you guys say -

It just seems when you get put (against your will) in row 35 vice what your ticket says (row 9) and you have a 1 1/2 hr connex in Atlanta (seems enought? you say to deplane customs, immigration, rebaggage scan, and tram to new terminal then walk to gate) and the plane is 25 min late it takes an extra 15 min to get off, since you are in the back of the plane- and it seems to get worse every year.
Our last trip to Jamaica Air jamaica was 25 min late to Atlanta (fair skys no weather)

the planes get bigger and longer.

Who looks at this on a system wide basis? Some group of airport architechs? or does the air plane designer have a say? or soes the airline bitch to the airport?

what keeps airports from having two of the moveable transit tunnels (name?)
seems someone needs to be thinking about it.

In the 50s there was the side steps and the tail ramp on some planes and those planes held less than 100 people.

seems we are moving backwards

[jabird]

EdwardH,

I think you are referring to air bridges, commonly referred to as Jetways (the leading brand?) in the US. I'm not aware of any airport using two for the same plane, but I'd love to be corrected here. I presume it would be possible where the mobile lounges are used (DFW, JED - any where else?)

You will find that the problems you mention are cited as the very reason for Ryanair never using them. MOL has said they were the #4 cause of delays when they did use them. They have free seating, so use front and back of the plane with bog standard stairs. They have a section at STN designed for them without the bridges.

Result = passengers may get wet, but the plane can be turned round in half the time. Must be a pain in a wheel chair though, but that's a problem FR like to let someone else worry about.

[PAXboy]

Yes, I often complain about this.

When 747s were introduced, new departure gates were fitted with two air bridges. Now, they ususally only have one operational (certainly at Heathrow). By guess is that they (airline) are saving on staff to man them.

If they do use two, then it is one for Ist class and one for all the rest. The problem for many of the longer A/c such as A340-600 is that the best place to have another air bridge is at the rear and that means getting it over the wing. The cost of suspending a bridge over the wing is enormous.

The cost of getting pax down to the ground and through a 'ground bridge' to the gate and then UP to the same level as other pax exiting from the front to join the flow is enormous. Remember that pax must be kept speparate from outbound pax and no chance tohand something to another person. Also they must be kept away from all the service trucks.

The mobile lounges are a good way around this and I think we shall see more of them when the A380 comes along but, wait for it, they require a peron to drive and another to supervise the pax and that is money.

All very stupid and short sighted.

[PPRuNe Radar]

Remember that pax must be kept speparate from outbound pax and no chance tohand something to another person.

Doesn't happen at a lot of UK gates, at least for domestic traffic.

[Ace Rimmer]

The separation of in bound and out bound pax is being increasingly applied (but at a lot of airports there are major works that need to be done) so it's taking time to implement. I believe at Amsterdam they've got some gates with airbridges that can go over wing to an aft door but I haven't heard of them anywhere else.

I sometimes write for an Airports trade mag... I recall there being some consternation about how long it will take to enplane/ deplane a 380 with a single airbridge (Airbus only quote figures for stands with double or even triple airbridges...funny that).

So yes if in say 2007 you find yourself waaaay down the back on a 380 and your connection is less than an hour... you will more than likely miss it...come to think about it if you have to go through US Immigration/Customs as an alien and you'd better make that 3 hours or if another 380 pitches up at the same time...:ooh: :ooh: :mad: :mad:

[eal401]

I'm not aware of any airport using two for the same plane, but I'd love to be corrected here.
Not two airbridges, strictly speaking, but at FRA airbridges are available that "split" and take First and Business pax through one door, Economy through the rest. AMS have even more elaborate structures that enable bridges to be placed at a door behind the wing as well as the usual forward exit. I think these are only used on 744s though.

[ATNotts]

As an SLF, forget airbridges - give me front and rear stairs - and PAX with the gumption to use the rear stairs if they're sat at the back -anyday.

Many airports have invested in covered steps, to protect us from the elements, making a very short walk in the open between steps and bus.

It surely has to be more efficient that trying to unload 200+ people and their carry-on bags through one door!

[HZ123]

The main issue is dollars / sterling / euros. You can have two jetties , two sets of stairs et al. There is a cost for each and at the moment the airlines cannot or will not pay it. Additional staff would also be needed to service extra routes for access or egress.

[ATNotts]

HZ123

Good point, but strangley, whilst waiting at STN on Sunday last I noticed that EZY and FR both use 2 sets of steps for passenger loading and unloading, and that although at STN Air Berlin use only the airbridge, or front stairs, in Germany, if parked remotely 2 sets of steps is normal.

So, there must be some cost and / or time saving benefits in using both ends for loading and disgorging PAX, after all MO'L of all people isn't know for wasting money, especially not in the name of customer service!

(Thinks...if I carry on counting steps like this I'll be justifiably labelled an anorak!!!)

[Jordan D]

Remember flying out of CDG on an AF 747 which was definately double hooked up with airbridges.

Jordan

[WHBM]

Cost of double steps can't be much as Ryanair, Easyjet etc routinely do it, although I notice not on the last arrival at night when the aircraft doesn't have a quick turnround. I was recently impressed that Easyjet at Stansted, who routinely do twin steps, used an airbridge instead on a torrential rain day. I believe there is a charge for airbridge usage so doubtless MO'L wouldn't have bothered.

Double airbridges are quite common and I went through one a couple of months ago at Heathrow T3 into a Malaysian 747, so the hardware exists in the UK. They are more common still in the Far East.