United Deploys Robotic Jetways in Denver

[Matt Molnar]

Press Release (http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,17430.shtml)


DENVER, Nov. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines has cut aircraft turnaround time with Dewbridge Airport Systems' new dual-end passenger boarding bridge, the AutoDocker(TM) bridge, a movable walkway connecting a parked aircraft to an airport terminal building. The new bridge is robotic. It automatically senses doors with computer vision and moves into a docking position. By connecting to both the front and rear doors of an aircraft, it halves boarding and deplane time.

[USAF Pilot 07]

Hmmm, I flew out of Denver last week, and I think I may have seen it! There was a jetbridge, without any plane at the gate, that was about 60 feet up in the air and appeared to be very long. I said to myself, that it was one weird looking jetbridge, especially since there were none like it around it.

IIRC correctly, it was towards the end (west side) of the B-concourse.

I fly out of DIA again a week from Tuesday, so I will keep a look out for it and try to snap some pics!

[hiss srq]

Weird. I do not know if I would trust it over the good old human behind the toggle stick honestly initally really. We shall see. Maybe onemore way to keep a gate agent whos not focused from ruining a planeloads day

[T-Bird76]

Did they build this with the left over parts of the failed baggage system recently removed in Denver? I do like the fact you can get on and off from the back.

[Winglets747]

Hmm. I remember reading about this earlier this week and apparently it was a flop. I'll have to find what I read.

-Will

[Matt Molnar]

When you search "autodocker" on Google, they have an interesting suggestion...

Did you mean: autococker

[Winglets747]

I could not find the mention of the robotic jetway, but did find this from this Tuesday's Times (http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/11/14/b ... rding.html (http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/11/14/business/14boarding.html)):

"Southwest has quietly done tests of so-called dual jet bridges in Austin and Dallas to accelerate boarding by loading passengers through two doors at once. But the bridges proved to be unreliable. The airline does use a different kind of dual bridge in Albany, but has found it only marginally better than single bridges."

-Will

[USAF Pilot 07]

I fly outta DIA on Tuesday, I will try and look for it and get some pics, although it may be dark by the time I get up there...

Also, Tommy, I didn't know the recent baggage system was a failure, but it comes as no surprise, at least if it was in the past year or so. Everytime I used to check a bag, it was ridiculous, we'd be waiting at least 30 minutes, AFTER having walked from the gate to the train, taking the train to the main terminal, and then walking from the train up to the baggage claim. All in all it seemed to take anywhere from 45 minutes to over an hour total to get our bags...

I flew two weeks ago though, and had to end up checking a bag, and was quite surprised on how quickly we got them. This must be the new system or something...

[USAF Pilot 07]

Last night I got to use one of the new jetways in Denver! What an interesting concept! I flew from DEN-LGA on a 757. Unfortunately I didnt get any pics because for one it was dark, and I was also running somewhat late and was one of the last pax to board.

The jetway was really nice, and was brand new. There was one large jetway for about 50 feet, then it split off into two, one branch for rows 1-11 and the other for rows 11 and higher. The 11 and higher jetway then rose up a little (to give itself room over the wing) and then came back down and led right to the rear door of the aircraft. It was weird looking out the jetway window and seeing the "elevator back wing" instead of the regular wing.

As far as saving time boarding, I think it may have worked... I got to the gate around 6:00PM (for a 6:31PM departure). I got my seat changed to an exit row, and then walked around to get some food/drink for a little. As I left they started to call the first section for boarding. I came back around 6:15PM and there was no one left in line or in the boarding area, and the jetway was empty. When I got to the plane, there was a little line inside the plane, but nothing like it is usually like when boarding from the front. The plane itself was pretty full, probably somewhere around 90% full. Usually at DEN, they call for boarding around the same time, but the lines, whether in the boarding area or on the jetway are still there 15 minutes later.

Here's my biggest question. Rows 1-11 are all first class rows. It seems like this new jetbridge segregates the first class cabin from the coach cabin, yet there are many times more seats in coach than there are in first. It would seem to me that it'd make more sense to board the first half of the aircraft from the first jetbridge (i.e. rows 1-23) and then the last half of the aircraft from the rear jetbridge (rows 23-higher) to speed up the process even more...

As far as gate placement goes, we left from gate B22, which I thought to be weird at first since it is so far west on the B concourse. Usually the LGA flights leave from gates closed to the train, but now I see why they used B22 because from what I could tell the gates west of B22 were all fitted with the new dual jetbridges. I come back Monday, and I should have more time, so hopefully we park at one of these gates and I will be able to grab some pics!