Can anyone explain why jetways are typically pulled back from overnighting aircraft after everyone is off the plane? Is it to prevent the jetway from rubbing against the plane in the even of wind or to prevent unauthorized access to the aircraft? Maybe a combination of both?

Never thought about it but would say both

Security requirement.

I looked after RON aircraft here at ARN for over 25 years. For about a year there was a security problem and we removed the jetway. But the other 24 years we left it in position. The aircraft was left in Ground Service with the door closed and sealed (just a tamper indicator) and the jetway attached. Then the flight crew could open the door themselves in the morning without any need for us (maintenance), or a jetty driver, to be there.

For some airlines, it's a security requrement if either the access to the jetbridge from the gate, or the access to the jetbridge from external stairs don't have some type of lock on the doors. If this is the case, the jetbridge must be pulled from the aircraft to prevent unauthorized access. This isn't super common in the US anymore, I can think of only a few small airports where this is still done.

atav wrote:

For some airlines, it's a security requrement if either the access to the jetbridge from the gate, or the access to the jetbridge from external stairs don't have some type of lock on the doors. If this is the case, the jetbridge must be pulled from the aircraft to prevent unauthorized access. This isn't super common in the US anymore, I can think of only a few small airports where this is still done.

Regardless of locks (ACAMS), or other mechanical security measure, jetbridges must be pulled away from unoccupied/RON aircraft. TSA SDs (domestic operators) and EA (international operators) dictate such action.

aaway wrote:

atav wrote:

For some airlines, it's a security requrement if either the access to the jetbridge from the gate, or the access to the jetbridge from external stairs don't have some type of lock on the doors. If this is the case, the jetbridge must be pulled from the aircraft to prevent unauthorized access. This isn't super common in the US anymore, I can think of only a few small airports where this is still done.

Regardless of locks (ACAMS), or other mechanical security measure, jetbridges must be pulled away from unoccupied/RON aircraft. TSA SDs (domestic operators) and EA (international operators) dictate such action.

TSA is in charge of airport security?, yet insists on airbridge removal because 0f what? People are on the ramp that are suspect? Don't they screen everyone that gets an airside pass? Don't you need an airside pass to open the gate to the jetway?. Sounds like belt and braces to me.
What about access to the equipment bays? Must you lock them as well?

I had a good laugh when we were informed that all portable stairs must be removed six feet from the aircraft, for security reasons, if it was unattended on our ramp. I guess terrorists can only push them five feet.

I don't see the logic of the jetways. They are SIDA badge controlled at the terminal and locked from the ground access door.

Security theatrics.

Tristarsteve wrote:

TSA is in charge of airport security?, yet insists on airbridge removal because 0f what? People are on the ramp that are suspect? Don't they screen everyone that gets an airside pass? Don't you need an airside pass to open the gate to the jetway?. Sounds like belt and braces to me.
What about access to the equipment bays? Must you lock them as well?

I worked for an international carrier so we usually only had a RON of there was a tech or scheduling issue. But in short…yes, we’d put tamper proof seals on pretty much everything, and remove all means of access.

Just because you have access to the ramp or airside area doesn’t mean airlines want you near their airplanes. We were an outstation, we flew bigger planes than most, and they were more unique than what most rampers at our airport saw on a regular basis. Any time we RON’d there’d inevitable be groups of B6, AA, DL etc rampers and ops who wanted to see our plane up close. It was fine to take pics etc, but we needed to know that they weren’t helping themselves to a tour

Tristarsteve wrote:

aaway wrote:

atav wrote:

For some airlines, it's a security requrement if either the access to the jetbridge from the gate, or the access to the jetbridge from external stairs don't have some type of lock on the doors. If this is the case, the jetbridge must be pulled from the aircraft to prevent unauthorized access. This isn't super common in the US anymore, I can think of only a few small airports where this is still done.

Regardless of locks (ACAMS), or other mechanical security measure, jetbridges must be pulled away from unoccupied/RON aircraft. TSA SDs (domestic operators) and EA (international operators) dictate such action.

TSA is in charge of airport security?, yet insists on airbridge removal because 0f what? People are on the ramp that are suspect? Don't they screen everyone that gets an airside pass? Don't you need an airside pass to open the gate to the jetway?. Sounds like belt and braces to me.
What about access to the equipment bays? Must you lock them as well?

Swiss cheese. There were cases of people getting onto the ramp, so complicating next step may be reasonable.
I still wonder, though, if putting physical locks on exterior doors is ever considered....

kalvado wrote:

Tristarsteve wrote:

aaway wrote:

Regardless of locks (ACAMS), or other mechanical security measure, jetbridges must be pulled away from unoccupied/RON aircraft. TSA SDs (domestic operators) and EA (international operators) dictate such action.

TSA is in charge of airport security?, yet insists on airbridge removal because 0f what? People are on the ramp that are suspect? Don't they screen everyone that gets an airside pass? Don't you need an airside pass to open the gate to the jetway?. Sounds like belt and braces to me.
What about access to the equipment bays? Must you lock them as well?

Swiss cheese. There were cases of people getting onto the ramp, so complicating next step may be reasonable.
I still wonder, though, if putting physical locks on exterior doors is ever considered....

You mean on the aircraft doors? Might have safety implications. Consider someone forgetting to unlock them all before flight etc etc. Don't see it happening.

77west wrote:

kalvado wrote:

Tristarsteve wrote:

TSA is in charge of airport security?, yet insists on airbridge removal because 0f what? People are on the ramp that are suspect? Don't they screen everyone that gets an airside pass? Don't you need an airside pass to open the gate to the jetway?. Sounds like belt and braces to me.
What about access to the equipment bays? Must you lock them as well?

Swiss cheese. There were cases of people getting onto the ramp, so complicating next step may be reasonable.
I still wonder, though, if putting physical locks on exterior doors is ever considered....

You mean on the aircraft doors? Might have safety implications. Consider someone forgetting to unlock them all before flight etc etc. Don't see it happening.

As any change of paradigm, this may be a can of worms - but "forget to unlock" is definitely not the biggest issue. If slide cannot be armed with the lock engaged, there is already most of the procedure in place.

77west wrote:

kalvado wrote:

Tristarsteve wrote:

TSA is in charge of airport security?, yet insists on airbridge removal because 0f what? People are on the ramp that are suspect? Don't they screen everyone that gets an airside pass? Don't you need an airside pass to open the gate to the jetway?. Sounds like belt and braces to me.
What about access to the equipment bays? Must you lock them as well?

Swiss cheese. There were cases of people getting onto the ramp, so complicating next step may be reasonable.
I still wonder, though, if putting physical locks on exterior doors is ever considered....

You mean on the aircraft doors? Might have safety implications. Consider someone forgetting to unlock them all before flight etc etc. Don't see it happening.

More likely "Sorry, Steve took home the keys to 265, so this flight back to Dallas is canceled"
Or they give everyone a generic key, and they become more ubiquitous than the generic flight attendant bin keys.

I've seen the jetbridges pulled off but it hasn't been for years in the US. Usually the airplane is there, with external power, cold in the winter, and hot in the summer, because nobody thinks to attach the air. Security search of the cabin is done 99% of the time before we get there.

Airport security is generally pretty good (depending on where you fly), and I'd say it's very low probability for a security issue at 2 AM. Maybe someone with experience in ground handling could weigh in.

kalvado wrote:

77west wrote:

kalvado wrote:

Swiss cheese. There were cases of people getting onto the ramp, so complicating next step may be reasonable.
I still wonder, though, if putting physical locks on exterior doors is ever considered....

You mean on the aircraft doors? Might have safety implications. Consider someone forgetting to unlock them all before flight etc etc. Don't see it happening.

As any change of paradigm, this may be a can of worms - but "forget to unlock" is definitely not the biggest issue. If slide cannot be armed with the lock engaged, there is already most of the procedure in place.

It's such a non-issue it would never happen. Your largest threat is someone coming down the jetbridge - that's ID or code-locked at the less modern places. Chances are, if they have the ID or code, they have your key, or a good reason to be there.

If it's someone rampside, well, how did they get there? In 99% of, at least, US domestic airports, they're not going to make it to an airplane. I don't think they'd be seen in realtime, but welcome aboard this A320, what are you as one person going to do onboard? Most likely? Get found by the security search people.

bluecrew wrote:

kalvado wrote:

77west wrote:

You mean on the aircraft doors? Might have safety implications. Consider someone forgetting to unlock them all before flight etc etc. Don't see it happening.

As any change of paradigm, this may be a can of worms - but "forget to unlock" is definitely not the biggest issue. If slide cannot be armed with the lock engaged, there is already most of the procedure in place.

It's such a non-issue it would never happen. Your largest threat is someone coming down the jetbridge - that's ID or code-locked at the less modern places. Chances are, if they have the ID or code, they have your key, or a good reason to be there.

If it's someone rampside, well, how did they get there? In 99% of, at least, US domestic airports, they're not going to make it to an airplane. I don't think they'd be seen in realtime, but welcome aboard this A320, what are you as one person going to do onboard? Most likely? Get found by the security search people.

There are security seals, there are jetways pulled back, so there are some concerns.
Key management is definitely an issue. I wonder how that is done in large truck fleets, must be a similar issue, one would think FedEx and UPS trucks do have keys and are not parked for 3/4 of the time...
Another option is unlock codes through airline servers - for "flight is delayed while captain's phone is installing updates"

aaway wrote:

atav wrote:

For some airlines, it's a security requrement if either the access to the jetbridge from the gate, or the access to the jetbridge from external stairs don't have some type of lock on the doors. If this is the case, the jetbridge must be pulled from the aircraft to prevent unauthorized access. This isn't super common in the US anymore, I can think of only a few small airports where this is still done.

Regardless of locks (ACAMS), or other mechanical security measure, jetbridges must be pulled away from unoccupied/RON aircraft. TSA SDs (domestic operators) and EA (international operators) dictate such action.

That's simply not true... Maybe local SOP where you are. I was a ground security coordinator at 3 different airlines in my lifetime. The only time we would do this was at ONE of three airlines, due to it being an old unnecessary procedure, since the security checks usually were done in the morning as opposed to right after the last flight before RON. Being a pilot who constantly works the last flight inbound to a station I can assure you that isn't true. All the jetbridges I see parking at 0100 are fully attached to the aircraft around me.

atav wrote:

aaway wrote:

atav wrote:

For some airlines, it's a security requrement if either the access to the jetbridge from the gate, or the access to the jetbridge from external stairs don't have some type of lock on the doors. If this is the case, the jetbridge must be pulled from the aircraft to prevent unauthorized access. This isn't super common in the US anymore, I can think of only a few small airports where this is still done.

Regardless of locks (ACAMS), or other mechanical security measure, jetbridges must be pulled away from unoccupied/RON aircraft. TSA SDs (domestic operators) and EA (international operators) dictate such action.

That's simply not true... Maybe local SOP where you are. I was a ground security coordinator at 3 different airlines in my lifetime. The only time we would do this was at ONE of three airlines, due to it being an old unnecessary procedure, since the security checks usually were done in the morning as opposed to right after the last flight before RON. Being a pilot who constantly works the last flight inbound to a station I can assure you that isn't true. All the jetbridges I see parking at 0100 are fully attached to the aircraft around me.

As someone who was in station management, and served as TSA liasion for my carrier, perhaps that is a result of your carrier having been granted an exemption from the TSA based upon the your carriers' internal security program and associated protocols.