The boarding bridges or the PBB (Passenger Boarding Bridge) is an elevated, enclosed passage board and disembark an aircraft without the requirement to be exposed or go outside to way that extends from the terminal gate of an airport to the airplane. The boarding bridges are type of airport stands equipment, which is also known as jet bridge, air bridge, sky bridge, and jet way. This type of airport stands equipment allows passengers to safely board the aircraft and are found in numerous configurations. Depending upon the installation, the boarding bridges are fixed or movable.

Configurations of Boarding Bridges

A boarding bridge consisted of a fixed platform in the earlier days, which was its most basic configuration. The airplane would thus had to follow the stand entry guidance or ground marshaller and stop with the door of the aircraft abeam the platform. However, to allow passengers to access the airplane, a sheathable gantry would then be stretched from the platform. Although, there are still this types of airport stands equipment in use at some airports all across the globe.

Today, the refinements of the boarding bridges include split bridges. In this type of airport stands equipment, the common airport boarding access point is eventually divided into two passageways. Most of these types of boarding bridges or airport stands equipment are designed to accommodate two boarding doors on the same level forward on the wing. This cases can be seen on aircrafts larger in size such as the Airbus A330 and Boeing 777. However, these larger aircrafts have “over the wing” installations, which allow passengers to simultaneously board the aircraft from the forward as well as rear door. Modifications in proximity sensors mounted on the boarding bridges are also being routinely engineered to help in preventing accidental aircraft damage.

Eliminating the Risks

As per analyst review,  a major objective of efficient airport operations is to move passengers from the terminal to an airplane, and back from airplane to the terminal, expeditiously, efficiently, and safely. At airports with low traffic volume and at smaller airports, the passengers often walk outdoors and leaves the terminal across the apron to board the airplane via air stairs, or mobile boarding. Although, bus can be also used to let the passengers cover the distance from the aircraft to the remote parking stand, but the final part of their journey to the airplane is still on foot. As the number of boarding passengers and the ground handling traffic increase, it gets more difficult to ensure passenger safety on the ramp. The use of this airport stands equipment minimizes most of the risks associated with the condition to allow passengers to access the ramp.

Advantages of Boarding Bridges

Compared with the mobile boarding stairs, the boarding bridges type of airport stands equipment have many advantages. Some of them include:

Safety – There are numerous safety risks present on the busy ramp are. With boarding bridges, the passengers are not exposed to this risks including, moving aircraft, vehicle traffic, jet blast & prop wash, and weather & temperature extremes.

Security – When passengers are allowed to leave the airport terminal gate to walk to the airplane means that those particular passengers have been given permission to temporarily access the airport’s restricted area. With the use of airport stands equipment, especially the boarding bridges eliminates the potential security risks of passenger access to the ramp area.

Ease of Access – In determined situations, use of a boarding bridge eliminates the need for any stairs between the airplane and the airport terminal gate. This airport stands equipment type greatly facilitates access for the infirm or elderly and denies the requirement for specialized ground handling equipment.

Reduced Manpower Requirement – At the time of boarding or deplaning by passengers, earlier, there was a need to provide manpower for supervising the ramp. But now the boarding bridges have eliminated the need for manpower as passengers directly enter the PBB by inspecting the boarding passes. This airport stands equipment thus gives the passengers a secure and safe environment

Passenger Comfort – One of the best advantage of the boarding bridges is that it is enclosed and often is also cooled or heated, as appropriate. This ensure that the passengers are not exposed to extreme temperature or precipitation.
Aircraft Ground Services – Aircraft environmental control and ground power are some of the ground support services that are often built into the boarding bridges that eliminates the need for mobile equipment.