With the imminent start of AA 77W service from DFW to HKG, I'm wondering if they will be using the 2 boarding bridges provided at all gates at the airport? Is there any airport where they do?
I have noticed that they only use one bridge in two other Asian airports they fly to (NRT and ICN), cordoning off the jetway to Door 1. It always struck me as a bit of American hubris, as in "we don't need it back home, we don't need it here, thank you", even though it is totally in the airline's interest as it shortens both boarding and disembarkation times, never mind providing a better passenger experience.
My friends at HKG tell me UA and DL use both bridges at the airport. Will AA do the same? did the longer 77W make them realize it's time to update boarding procedures where 2 bridges are provided?
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RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
With the configuration of AA's 77W (and 77E), only 16 people would actually use the 1L door if 2 jetbridges were used. All other seats are aft of the 2L door. Probably seems unnecessary to use 2 bridges in AA's eyes.
RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
Also need an extra person to put on and take off the extra jetty.
RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
The second Airbridge on departure assists the Dispatcher if nothing else.
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- jetblue1965
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RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
HKG airport is always configured F J use door 1, then all Y use door 2, even if some J seats are closer to door 2
RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
I always liked the 2 bridge, I wonder how much you save when you have a two bridge set up but still only use one of the boarding bridges versus the 2 that are available.
I know at gate C8 at ORD (UA) uses the two, and I think the elites can use the first boarding bridge as well.
I know at gate C8 at ORD (UA) uses the two, and I think the elites can use the first boarding bridge as well.
RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
How come the US has been slow to adopt dual jetways? I know some airports use them for A380's and LAX's TBIT also has them.
Even the lazy jellyfish do it!
RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
| Quoting yv773p (Reply 7): How come the US has been slow to adopt dual jetways? I know some airports use them for A380's and LAX's TBIT also has them. |
We might have them, but not all airlines utilize them.
There is a cost involved, in both added facility fees, and added staffing needs to support dual jetway operations.
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RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
Years ago, when the 747 was new, TWA used to use to jet bridges at ORD. One bridge was aligned with L1 for First class passnegers. Then, the gate to starboard side of the aircraft was used for coach passengers, and the jetbridge was swung around to R2.
The only problem with this arrangement is that it takes two gates. Later on, TWA restriped the gates, so that a 747 only used one gate, although I don't recall if the jetbridge used L1 or L2.
The only problem with this arrangement is that it takes two gates. Later on, TWA restriped the gates, so that a 747 only used one gate, although I don't recall if the jetbridge used L1 or L2.
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- wingflex744
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RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
| Quoting yv773p (Reply 7): I know some airports use them for A380's and LAX's TBIT also has them. |
Most of TBIT have 3 bridges actually...
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RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
| Quoting yv773p (Reply 7): How come the US has been slow to adopt dual jetways? |
Keep in mind that an airport's fleet mix is an important factor in dual (or triple) jetway operations. US airports tend to operate with larger numbers of smaller aircraft (narrowbody mainline or regional jets) while an "equivalent" airport in Asia must accommodate a higher percentage of widebody aircraft. With airports such as HKG, NRT, and SIN receiving so many widebodies, it's far more justifiable for those airfields to have multiple passenger boarding bridges at each gate.
RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
| Quoting PDX88 (Reply 1): With the configuration of AA's 77W (and 77E), only 16 people would actually use the 1L door if 2 jetbridges were used. |
While many airlines restrict use of the first jetway to the first class cabin on embarkation, when deplaning, they often route economy passengers along the right aisle all the way up through the premium cabin and out the first jetway. Deplaning using both jetways certainly is a convenience for passengers who've been cooped up for 10 or more hours.
RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
| Quoting Lofty (Reply 2): Also need an extra person to put on and take off the extra jetty. |
Same person does both, normally around 10 min before push they will disconnect the first bridge, park it, and then they walk around to the second bridge.
It would not be AA staff driving the bridge.
| Quoting mhkansan (Reply 4): Yep, and AA is NOT turn time limited in HKG - The plane sits there for some cray length of time and overnight. |
The bridge is used more than for just pax loading, a lot of the ground staff use it as well to get to the apron. The rubbish truck funnel goes to the front aerobridge, and the rubbish is offloaded that way.
Ground power and ground aircon also comes off the front aerobridge.
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RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
DL only uses dual jetways in DTW on the 744. Or at one point that is all they used. Occasionally NW would use dual jetways on the DC-10 and A330. I liked using dual jetways.
RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
| Quoting PDX88 (Reply 1): With the configuration of AA's 77W (and 77E), only 16 people would actually use the 1L door if 2 jetbridges were used. All other seats are aft of the 2L door. Probably seems unnecessary to use 2 bridges in AA's eyes. |
Qantas use bridge 1 for 14 passengers, bridge 2 for 129 passengers and bridge 3 for 341 passengers, at almost all ports where the a380 operates.
It's about providing a service, not operational convience for the airline.
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- TheCommodore
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RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
AMS use them very successfully, and have done for close to 30 years.So to in Germany.
Good question...Economics has a lot to play IMHO.
Hong kong is a new modern airport with all the modern facilities you'd expect of such. Most airports in the US are quite old and dilapidated....
Perhaps its also a customer service thing too (which you'd think would be forefront in Americas "service centered ethos" of good customer service ?) it would Make life a little easier for the passenger after a long haul journey.
| Quoting yv773p (Reply 7): How come the US has been slow to adopt dual jetways? |
Good question...Economics has a lot to play IMHO.
Hong kong is a new modern airport with all the modern facilities you'd expect of such. Most airports in the US are quite old and dilapidated....
Perhaps its also a customer service thing too (which you'd think would be forefront in Americas "service centered ethos" of good customer service ?) it would Make life a little easier for the passenger after a long haul journey.
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RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
| Quoting PDX88 (Reply 1): With the configuration of AA's 77W (and 77E), only 16 people would actually use the 1L door if 2 jetbridges were used. All other seats are aft of the 2L door. Probably seems unnecessary to use 2 bridges in AA's eyes. |
Having L1 and L2 connected allows the engineers and other ground staff to enter L1 and go straight into the flight deck without having to walk past passengers, especially your most premium passengers.
Also letting these passengers board at L1 they can grab their newspapers and get straight onto the plane (granted I have no idea if AA lays out newspapers at the door). L2 sometimes gets a traffic jam of people queuing to board and the line comes to a stand still on the airbridge. Why would you subject your first class passengers to that? Separating them makes them feel more special, speeds up the boarding process for them and gives them a sense of special treatment than having to board with the rest of the passengers. It just that additional touch of service. US airlines have never been known for thinking about that extra level of passenger experience and hence they are not considered to be that good in overall service standards.
RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
| Quoting Airvan00 (Reply 15): Qantas use bridge 1 for 14 passengers, bridge 2 for 129 passengers and bridge 3 for 341 passengers, at almost all ports where the a380 operates. It's about providing a service, not operational convience for the airline. |
AA does not own or operate the A380. I have been on flights where the second airbridge is used. I was at DTW when our aircraft used two airbridges.
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RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
| Quoting Airvan00 (Reply 15): Qantas use bridge 1 for 14 passengers, bridge 2 for 129 passengers and bridge 3 for 341 passengers, at almost all ports where the a380 operates. It's about providing a service, not operational convience for the airline. |
Such service is one thing I give QF credit for in a time where they are trying to cut costs so you would think operational convenience would be a priority for the airline. I hope to see AA used the dual-bridge in HKG...
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- bdl2stl2pvg
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RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
The fact that O’Hare T-5 did not go with at least certain gates having dual jetways always surprised me. Unlike the other ORD terminals, T-5 does consistently have a high percentage of widebody operations and it is a relatively new terminal. The recent remake appears to be focused on retail, and service/restroom upgrades, and to the best of my knowledge there were no changes to the boarding bridges. With more arriving flights than departures, it seems that T-5 would be at the top of the list of U.S. terminals to merit dual jetways
RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
| Quoting brilondon (Reply 18): AA does not own or operate the A380. I have been on flights where the second airbridge is used. I was at DTW when our aircraft used two airbridges. |
It's fairly obvious that Airvan00 wasn't making a direct operational comparison, but a service one. The excuse that "only 16 people would use it so it's not worth it" is rubbish.
RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
| Quoting modesto2 (Reply 11): Keep in mind that an airport's fleet mix is an important factor in dual (or triple) jetway operations. US airports tend to operate with larger numbers of smaller aircraft (narrowbody mainline or regional jets) while an "equivalent" airport in Asia must accommodate a higher percentage of widebody aircraft. |
Granted, but why not install dual bridges in widebody gates where they exist? You can use a single bridge when a narrow body is parked there, as they do at HKG and other airports (including, presumably, the few US airports which have dual/triple bridges). Not that complicated.
| Quoting JAAlbert (Reply 12): While many airlines restrict use of the first jetway to the first class cabin on embarkation, when deplaning, they often route economy passengers along the right aisle all the way up through the premium cabin and out the first jetway. Deplaning using both jetways certainly is a convenience for passengers who've been cooped up for 10 or more hours. |
| Quoting CX Flyboy (Reply 17): Why would you subject your first class passengers to that? Separating them makes them feel more special, speeds up the boarding process for them and gives them a sense of special treatment than having to board with the rest of the passengers. It just that additional touch of service. US airlines have never been known for thinking about that extra level of passenger experience and hence they are not considered to be that good in overall service standards. |
Exactly. It's about level of service for premium passengers at boarding, and level of service for all at disembarkation.
| Quoting yv773p (Reply 7): How come the US has been slow to adopt dual jetways? |
My theory is, it's a mix of history, cost, and culture.
History: the US was way ahead of everybody in using jetways (still extremely rare to be bused in the US, a common practice everywhere else), and just got stuck in single-jetway gates as a standard.
Cost: pretty obvious.
Culture: preferential treatment of premium passengers at the airport is a relatively new element in egalitarian US. Separate premium boarding and security screening queues have only become standard in the last several years. Lounges are only very, very slowly beginning to catch up with international standards. Dual jetways, I'm sure, are very low down the list of enhancements US airlines are interested in investing in.
All that said, I'm still waiting for an answer: will AA be using the facilities provided to it at HKG (free of charge by the way!), or just settle on applying its lowest-common-denominator approach, as it does at NRT and ICN (and I suspect also PVG, PEK, and other international airports)?
RE: AA At HKG: Dual-bridge Boarding?
I believe BA didn't start using dual jetways until they put the A380 into service.
I think the dual jetway process does help with the boarding process. Like someone mentioned,it has to do with cost.
Airlines like Emirates use them all the time.
KL @ AMS has used them for their 747s with the second jetway extending over the wing and being placed at the fourth door.
I think the dual jetway process does help with the boarding process. Like someone mentioned,it has to do with cost.
Airlines like Emirates use them all the time.
KL @ AMS has used them for their 747s with the second jetway extending over the wing and being placed at the fourth door.
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