Jetways
 

What "major" airports still do not have jetways? At SJC, you still need to climb a whole lot of steps from the tarmac to board a 757.

Welcome to FlyerTalk, alb222.

At the risk of doing a moderator's job, this may be an interesting subject on which to comment, but it really has nothing to do with Delta Air Lines whatsoever and therefore does not belong in the Delta forum. This topic really belongs in the TravelBuzz forum.

We look forward to your future contributions here on FlyerTalk. Once again, welcome!

Thank you, Canarsie. You are quite right that this thread is better-suited for Flyerbuzz. Therefore, I am taking the liberty of moving it. Please continue to follow this on the Flyerbuzz forum.
Obscure2k
Delta Moderator

Hi all,

Is Burbank considered "major"? It does not have jetways.

On many of the planes at BUR, it is much quicker to get loaded and unloaded. Very often, there is a stairway in the front and back of the plane. Since you are free to take any path (within reason) to the gate, slow-moving people don't hold up the rest of the passengers.

BUR is great. I'll be there twice in the next week.

Later,
Tim in Hollywood

Here at London Stansted, with a major modern terminal fully equipped with jetways (one of my colleagues here in the office refers to them as "the tube thing"!) Ryanair and Easyjet do not use them. I was once told BAA, the airport owners, charge £80 per aircraft to use them, but it also suits the rapid turnarounds of the low-costs with steps in use front and rear of the aircraft.

So from aircraft level in the terminal you all have to go down the emergency steps at each gate, out onto the ramp, and back up the aircraft steps, while the jetway lays unused.

On the other hand, PHL has jetways for even the commuter planes.

I love walking up stairs to the plane.

And then what about those major airports with insufficient jetways? Flying LHR-CPT on BA, the 747 was parked at a remote stand. Although it was raining, it was still such a thrill getting to climb up those stairs!

Sure, as long as you not carrying the maximum carry-ons allowed by FAA rules.

Has several experinces in Europe at major airports still using airstairs. One time, we landed in Zurich. We ended up well away from the main terminals in front of a hanger. We exited via airstrairs and boarded a bus to the terminal. Apparently this was routine practice if the airport was too busy to handle more landings than they had gates.



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i'm in favor of a rule that says ...any airport that gets snowed in must have standby stairs equal to 10% of its jetways to prevent the inability of off loading planes w/ no gate. the 8 hr nw thing being an example.

i once spent 2 hrs in the penalty box @ ord waiting for a gate due to an atc strike.. ord could use some.

Long Beach Airport in CA ... I was very surprised the first time we flew in there to see those good old stairs being rolled over.

Burbank and Long Beach both have relatively excellent weather -- no snow, infrequent rain.

A lot of bad weather airports have no jetways for commuter flights and it can be a little unpleasant getting to and from the plane.

BTW, why do they call them jetways? Why not walkways?

Because they came with the jets, and as far as I can recall have only ever been used with jets. I am aware FMC Corp have done something for commuter prop aircraft, but I've never seen these. Their product lines are called Jet-this and Jet-that; I don't know which came first.

www.jetway.com (of course!)

I think that originally the word "Jetway" was a trademark that was used by one of the manufacturers of passenger loading bridges. I am not sure whether this company still has the trademark or if it has been genericided.

Indeed. They call it a "Jetway" for the same reason gelatin desserts are called "Jell-O", flying discs are called "Frisbees", and plastic wrap is called "Saran Wrap". (Those of you outside the USA will just have to take my word for it. If you're in the UK you'll understand the next time you're Hoovering the carpets in your flat. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif) Jetway is a brand of passenger boarding bridge. Look for Jetway Systems' label above the controls the next time you board a plane.


[This message has been edited by Factotum (edited 04-30-2003).]