DL Tests boarding using 2 jetbridges @ CVG
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In a different age, how UA did it at LAX T7 (or, as they called it, Satellite 7) (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32509641-post84.html):
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...58ceca2626.jpg Here's a color version in an ad (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32518485-post87.html): https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...352f4a2c36.jpg David |
love the throwback! needless to say, I don’t remember WA’s 1962 boarding configuration for the LAX-PDX-SEA trip my parents and sister and I made on a 720B ;) 🛫
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I'm curious what the configuration was since they didn't show a picture. Did the plane have to pull up sort of parallel to the terminal to allow the use of 2 gates' jetbridges?
I know at some California locations where you have to go outside to board (LGB, BUR), Southwest boards from the front and rear (with a roll-up ramp at the front, and roll-up stairs in the back). I believe at SJC, pre-covid they had a trial run of boarding from the front and rear - with the front using the jetbridge, and the rear using roll-up stairs (and presumably either walking up stairs to the jetbridge or another set of stairs to the terminal). It'd be interesting to see this tried in more places - even if just for the novelty factor! |
No doubt about that! Just like the old days! JetBlue had it before. Before 9/11. Some passengers went outside the gates. They went down the stairs. They went on the ramp. They go up the air stairs. Some airports have it. But not all airports.
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A nice idea but most airports just don't have the facilities to accommodate that. The better solution going forward would be to make any aircraft over 150 seats a twin aisle. It takes no time boarding a 767 compared to a large narrowbody. Especially with 40% of business travelers estimated to never return, it's asinine to be running 20+ 320's on ATL-LGA. That was once the domain of the 767 and it worked just fine at around 8x daily.
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Originally Posted by ryw
(Post 34622825)
I'm curious what the configuration was since they didn't show a picture. Did the plane have to pull up sort of parallel to the terminal to allow the use of 2 gates' jetbridges?
I know at some California locations where you have to go outside to board (LGB, BUR), Southwest boards from the front and rear (with a roll-up ramp at the front, and roll-up stairs in the back). I believe at SJC, pre-covid they had a trial run of boarding from the front and rear - with the front using the jetbridge, and the rear using roll-up stairs (and presumably either walking up stairs to the jetbridge or another set of stairs to the terminal). It'd be interesting to see this tried in more places - even if just for the novelty factor! Then there is also AMS which is probably one of the last airports to still have I think 2 gates with overwing jetways. |
DEN tried this for a while when United's TED was a thing - a combo jet bridge that occupied one gate, split a few feet in, and carried a second jet bridge over the wing to the rear door.
That experiment ended the first time the over-the-wing bridge hit a jet wing. Very expensive. https://www.denverpost.com/2007/10/3...etway-project/ And DEN has several dual jet bridge gates for widebodies like the 777. |
Yeah most of the setups with dual jetbridges I've seen are overseas and split at/near the beginning. Typically the front is for business/premium econ and the other goes to the mid cabin or rear door for econ. Works pretty well at AMS for the widebodies.
I think SIN has that set up as well. I thought NRT had dual back when DL used to fly there, but been a while. Really the worst DL planes for boarding at the front are the 739 and 757-300. And I'm sure will be just as bad and take forever to board when they bring the 737 MAX -10 on board. The A321 holds a little more pax, but always seems to board better than the 739. |
I wonder if this is why they moved Flight 228 to B7. It has left out of B5 for years.
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Boarding using fore and aft doors is the only thing I like about bus gates at FRA. One downside is people who enter via the wrong door and then have to travel upstream.
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Our family has a favorite old movie clip of our Italian Nonna and her husband leaving JFK for their first ever flight walking outside to board the Alitalia plane. He veers right to the back of the plane and she aims left towards the front door. The Stewardess (as known then) redirects her and the family all laugh how Nonna seems to know where she wants to go.
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South African airlines boards front and back. just did some local flights this week. they had everyone on and seated In 15 minutes. they also had a simple boarding process two lines first class/ elites and everyone else. no preboarding etc. first/ elites started at the front of the plane everyone else started a minute later from the back.
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Miami had three separate boarding sections for the A380. Not sure how it was parked. Even Google searches were unclear, but it was definitely towards the far end of the terminal, so it could have used the end plus part of the long terminal.
But Euro, ME, and Asia airports appear to have different jet bridges for first and cattle class. |
Experienced this today arriving at CVG. I don't remember the gate, but after landing the FAs announced we could deplane from front or back (and that strollers/wheelchairs would all be at the front).
This was on a 737 and they connected jet bridges to both doors. First time I'd had the option to use the rear door that wasn't a bus gate somewhere outside the US. |
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