As The British had :Airbridges and Piers before the Americans had Jets. They were originally known as Piers and then Later as AirBrdges.

London Gatwick Airport has been around for over 70 years and it has always been ahead of its time. Its first innovation was a direct link for passengers between the airport and the nearby rail station. 20 years later its second innovation was to build a covered pier from the terminal to aircraft stands, which became a standard feature of airport design.

Some things only change slightly..Gatwick now has the Largest Bridge in The Air at any International Airport.

http://www.oasys-software.com/about/...dge_02-200.png