I was looking at LHR on Google maps, and I was wondering who decides and how is it decided when to use two jetways for widebodies and when to use just one? In this shot of the terminal, 1 UA 772 uses two and 1 UA787 just uses one. Also, 2 AC 777's use 2, but their A330 and 787 only use one. I've been on 752's that used either door 1 or door 2, which I had always assumed just had to do with the space at the gate, but if two jetways are available at the gate, why not use both?

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Heath ... 2955?hl=en

This thread probably covers it...

viewtopic.php?t=576585

oly720man wrote:

This thread probably covers it...

viewtopic.php?t=576585

That thread doesn't address the entirety of the OP's question, it's really just asking if two jetways result in faster loading.

Even in a hub like SFO, UA uses 2 jetways at some gates, and some only one. It also doesn't seem to be based on plane type, because in this location, you can see some 744's with 2 and some with 1.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/San+F ... 9554?hl=en

maybe one of jetway pull off then second jetway pull it off. Tow push back ready to go. You don't know what they are doing while photo was taken. Who cares about using jetways one or two... ?

Q

cosyr wrote:

I was looking at LHR on Google maps, and I was wondering who decides and how is it decided when to use two jetways for widebodies and when to use just one? In this shot of the terminal, 1 UA 772 uses two and 1 UA787 just uses one. Also, 2 AC 777's use 2, but their A330 and 787 only use one. I've been on 752's that used either door 1 or door 2, which I had always assumed just had to do with the space at the gate, but if two jetways are available at the gate, why not use both?

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Heath ... 2955?hl=en

I've actually deplaned on a 757-300 that had 2 bridges connected although I doubt it made much of an impact as there is on one aisle to travel down.

I imagine it may also depend on staffing levels. There needs to be one agent operating each gate. If staffing is short, there may not be anyone to operate the second bridge.

I'm usually happy when there is someone ready to operate one bridge upon arrival. Been on plenty of flights where we've had to wait for someone to show up to operate the bridge.

77H

Q wrote:

maybe one of jetway pull off then second jetway pull it off. Tow push back ready to go. You don't know what they are doing while photo was taken. Who cares about using jetways one or two... ?

Q

Somebody would get a talking to or be getting fired if they were getting ready to push a plane with catering trucks servicing it still or cargo doors open with palate loaders servicing it still. I don’t pretend to know what is going on myself, but one observation that I did make is that generally the planes with more than one jetway connected are farther along in the ground handling process where the cargo doors for example are already shut. Maybe they aren’t connected until just before boarding, but that would mean it would have to be disconnected after offloading the previous flight. As for a plane such as a 757, 787-8, or a British 767 they appear to not do this much as I would think they aren’t large/long enough or planes to really need it at all. It’s a good question and I don’t think it’s even close to bad enough to be one worthy of the “who cares” response.

Working at a major airline, typically it depends on who is there to help out. If the plane has the opportunity to do a dual jetways, then by all means.. do it. However the priority is typically to get a jetbridge on to L2, then L1. L2 provides faster deplaning and way faster boarding compared to just L1.

Furthermore, dual is really just super useful for boarding as it helps board the premium and main cabin separately.. allowing for the flight attendants to serve the premium cabin without having to stop the boarding process.

Mostly its for faster loading, for some airlines its exclusively for Business/First Class passengers.

As Cosyr, I have always been intrigued by this question but I lack the knowledge.

Given that I assume impossibile the question to be due to staff onboard, I tend to suppose it is due by one or more of the following: physical space limitation, staff on the apron and to control the jetways, cost of each jetway utilisation (ULLC do not use any jetways, major airlines might consider whether to use 1 or 2 according to their parameters).

vahancrazy wrote:

As Cosyr, I have always been intrigued by this question but I lack the knowledge.

Given that I assume impossibile the question to be due to staff onboard, I tend to suppose it is due by one or more of the following: physical space limitation, staff on the apron and to control the jetways, cost of each jetway utilisation (ULLC do not use any jetways, major airlines might consider whether to use 1 or 2 according to their parameters).

.... Airlines, at least in the United States, dont pay for each time they pull up the jet way or not.. we simply lease the gate from the airport for X amount of time.. We can go drive around the jetbridge or jetbridges, whatever is the amount of bridges on the specific gate, however many times as we would like during that x amount of years we lease it for....

Slash787 wrote:

Mostly its for faster loading, for some airlines its exclusively for Business/First Class passengers.

Creating an elite experience seems to be the primary reason for using two jet bridges. Only once, while in AMS have I experienced a gate agent use two jetways to efficiently load a really delayed departure. Passengers were dived by aisle (passengers in seats ABC-DE went down 2nd while those of us in FG-HJK went down 1st and cut through the galley. they were able to load a pretty full 747 in about 30 minutes. it was impressive.


Now, 3 jetways on the A380 is a different story.

Flightguy123 wrote:

vahancrazy wrote:

As Cosyr, I have always been intrigued by this question but I lack the knowledge.

Given that I assume impossibile the question to be due to staff onboard, I tend to suppose it is due by one or more of the following: physical space limitation, staff on the apron and to control the jetways, cost of each jetway utilisation (ULLC do not use any jetways, major airlines might consider whether to use 1 or 2 according to their parameters).

.... Airlines, at least in the United States, dont pay for each time they pull up the jet way or not.. we simply lease the gate from the airport for X amount of time.. We can go drive around the jetbridge or jetbridges, whatever is the amount of bridges on the specific gate, however many times as we would like during that x amount of years we lease it for....

It seems it is different from Europe (at least for my amatorial experience). Thanks for the info!

the system is wrong, what they need is 1 bridge on the front and 1 bridge on the far end back.

gia777 wrote:

the system is wrong, what they need is 1 bridge on the front and 1 bridge on the far end back.

You are not the first person to think of that; it doesn't have widespread usage because there are several big downsides to it.

gia777 wrote:

the system is wrong, what they need is 1 bridge on the front and 1 bridge on the far end back.

3 or 4 Gates in AMS have 2 jetways: one for door 1 or 2 the other for 3 or 4 (the forse after the wings). To my knowledge it's the only airport with such setting.
The second jetway is completo because it passes over the wing.

IME, it depends upon whether a second bridge-driver is available (assuming gate has two jet bridges). At thin route outstations (esp. international) using outsourced staff, it's usually a single jetbridge, even for WBs.

Like this?

WALmsp wrote:

Like this?

exatcly. much better for boarding and deplaning time

77H wrote:

cosyr wrote:

I was looking at LHR on Google maps, and I was wondering who decides and how is it decided when to use two jetways for widebodies and when to use just one? In this shot of the terminal, 1 UA 772 uses two and 1 UA787 just uses one. Also, 2 AC 777's use 2, but their A330 and 787 only use one. I've been on 752's that used either door 1 or door 2, which I had always assumed just had to do with the space at the gate, but if two jetways are available at the gate, why not use both?

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Heath ... 2955?hl=en

I've actually deplaned on a 757-300 that had 2 bridges connected although I doubt it made much of an impact as there is on one aisle to travel down.

I imagine it may also depend on staffing levels. There needs to be one agent operating each gate. If staffing is short, there may not be anyone to operate the second bridge.

I'm usually happy when there is someone ready to operate one bridge upon arrival. Been on plenty of flights where we've had to wait for someone to show up to operate the bridge.

77H

I'm curious, what airport and airline used 2 jetways on the 757?

Kno wrote:

77H wrote:

cosyr wrote:

I was looking at LHR on Google maps, and I was wondering who decides and how is it decided when to use two jetways for widebodies and when to use just one? In this shot of the terminal, 1 UA 772 uses two and 1 UA787 just uses one. Also, 2 AC 777's use 2, but their A330 and 787 only use one. I've been on 752's that used either door 1 or door 2, which I had always assumed just had to do with the space at the gate, but if two jetways are available at the gate, why not use both?

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Heath ... 2955?hl=en

I've actually deplaned on a 757-300 that had 2 bridges connected although I doubt it made much of an impact as there is on one aisle to travel down.

I imagine it may also depend on staffing levels. There needs to be one agent operating each gate. If staffing is short, there may not be anyone to operate the second bridge.

I'm usually happy when there is someone ready to operate one bridge upon arrival. Been on plenty of flights where we've had to wait for someone to show up to operate the bridge.

77H

I'm curious, what airport and airline used 2 jetways on the 757?

HNL.