Editing Jet bridge

{{short description|Enclosed movable bridge which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane}}
{{redirect-distinguish|Jetway|Airway (aviation)|Aircraft bridge}}
[[File:United Airlines aircraft at DIA in the morning.JPG|thumb|[[United Airlines]] planes lined up at their jet bridges at [[Denver International Airport]] in March 2014]]

A '''jet bridge'''{{efn|Also termed '''jetway''',<ref>[https://trademarks.justia.com/720/86/jetway-72086317.html Justia/trademarks] The term ''Jetway'' is a registered trademark</ref> '''jetwalk''', '''airgate''', '''jetty''', '''gangway''', '''planeplank''', '''aerobridge'''/'''airbridge''', '''finger''', '''skybridge''', '''airtube''' '''expedited suspended passenger entry system''' ('''E-SPES'''), or its official industry name '''passenger boarding bridge''' ('''PBB'''))}} is an enclosed connector which most commonly extends from an [[airport terminal]] [[Gate (airport)|gate]] to an [[airplane]], and in some instances from a [[port]] to a [[boat]] or [[ship]], allowing passengers to board and disembark without heading outside and being exposed to harsh weather.<ref name=Gesell>{{cite book|last=Gesell|first=Laurence E.|title=The Administration of Public Airports|publisher=Coast Aire|location=Chandler, Arizona|year=1992|isbn=0-9606874-7-5|pages=[https://archive.org/details/administrationof0000gese/page/114 114&ndash;115]|url=https://archive.org/details/administrationof0000gese/page/114}}</ref> Depending on building design, sill heights, fueling positions, and operational requirements, a jet bridge may be fixed or [[movable bridge|movable]], swinging radially, or extending in length.<ref name=Gesell /> The jetway was invented by [[Frank Der Yuen]].<ref name="pacmon2013">{{cite book|title=I'll Fly to Hawaii &mdash; A century of Aviation|author=Burl Burlingame|publisher=Pacific Monograph|year=2013|isbn=9780962922763|page=135}}</ref>

Similar devices are used for astronauts to enter [[spacecraft]], which are installed at the appropriate height of the launch tower.

==History==
[[File:2018 Aeropuerto El Dorado de Bogotá - Avión de Avianca conectado a pasarela de acceso.jpg|thumb|A jet bridge at [[Aeropuerto Internacional El Dorado|El Dorado International Airport]] in [[Bogotá]], [[Colombia]] in August 2018]]
[[File:A380 of Lufthansa at FRA EDDF 2011-06-26.jpg|thumb|Three jet bridges feeding a [[Lufthansa]] [[Airbus A380]] at [[Frankfurt Airport]] in [[Frankfurt]], [[Germany]] in June 2011]]
[[File:Airport jetway gate.ogv|thumb|Video of jet bridge being moved to an [[American Airlines]] plane at [[Toronto Pearson International Airport]] in [[Mississauga]], [[Ontario]], Canada]] 

Before the introduction of jet bridges, passengers normally boarded an aircraft by walking along the ground-level [[airport ramp|ramp]] and climbing a set of movable stairs, or [[airstair]]s on aircraft so equipped. Mobile staircases or "ramp stairs" are employed at many airports around the world, particularly smaller airports and terminals supporting [[low cost carriers]].

[[United Airlines]] tested an early prototype "Air Dock" in 1954.<ref name="baskas">{{cite news|last1=Baskas|first1=Harriet|title=A short history of the much-maligned jet bridge|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2016/02/24/jet-bridge-jetway/80806044/|access-date=1 March 2016|work=USA Today|date=25 February 2016}}</ref> The first operational "Aero-Gangplank", as it was dubbed by inventor [[Lockheed Corporation|Lockheed Air Terminal]], was installed by United at Chicago's [[O'Hare International Airport|O'Hare Airport]] in 1958.<ref>{{cite news |title=Briefings... (pg. 58)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CJ5OB0Vh8VUC&q=aero-gangplank&pg=PA94 |access-date=13 August 2018 |work=Flying Magazine |agency=Google |issue=6 |publisher=Ziff-Davis Publishing Co. |date=June 1, 1958|volume = 62}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Airport's Mobile Covered Bridge |work=Life Magazine |issue=16 |publisher=Time-Life Publishing |date=April 21, 1958|volume=44 }}</ref>

==Advantages==
Jet bridges provide all-weather dry access to aircraft and enhance the security of terminal operations. They are often permanently attached at one end by a pivot (or rotunda) to the terminal building and have the ability to swing left or right. The cabin, at the end of the loading bridge, may be raised or lowered, extended or retracted, and may pivot, to accommodate aircraft of different sizes.<ref name=Gesell /> These motions are controlled by an operator's station in the cab. The cab is provided with an accordion-like [[Aircraft canopy|canopy]], which allows the bridge to dock with aircraft with differing shapes, and provide a nearly weather-proof seal. Additionally, many models offer leveling devices for the portion of the floor that makes contact with the aircraft; this allows passengers to slowly transition from level aircraft floor to sloping jet bridge floor. As such, jet bridges provide enhanced access to aircraft for passengers with many types of [[disabilities]] and [[mobility impairment]]s, as they may board and disembark without climbing stairs or using a specialized [[wheelchair lift]].

Some airports with international gates have two or even three bridges for larger aircraft with multiple entrances. In theory, this allows for faster disembarking of larger aircraft, though it is quite common, especially on aircraft such as [[Boeing 747]]s and [[Boeing 777]]s, to use one bridge for only passengers in [[First class travel|first class]] and/or [[business class]], while the other bridge is for the use of passengers in [[economy class]]. In some designs, the second jet bridge would even extend over the aircraft wing, being suspended from an overhead structure. This was, for example, originally adopted for most wide body gates at [[Amsterdam Airport Schiphol]]. The [[Airbus A380]] is unique in that both of its two passenger decks have outside access doors and so using loading bridges for each deck is possible, having the advantage of faster aircraft loading (in parallel). Faster loading can lead to lower airport charges, fewer delays and more passenger throughput for the airport, all factors which impact an airline's [[net income|bottom line]].

Though loading bridges are usually permanently attached at their terminal-building end, leaving only the cab free to move, this is not always the case. Those at [[Melbourne Airport]]'s international terminal, and at [[Hong Kong]]'s former [[Kai Tak Airport]], are anchored in the middle and movable at either end to permit the terminal building-end to be raised or lowered to connect with either the departures level or the arrivals level of the terminal building.

==Disadvantages==
Several incidents of jet bridges collapsing include Sydney,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.californiaaviation.org/airport/msg13033.html |title=Investigations begin into collapse of Sydney airport walkway |date=2001-02-01 |website=California Aviation Alliance |access-date=2013-01-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130418093336/http://archives.californiaaviation.org/airport/msg13033.html |archive-date=2013-04-18 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://voin42.blogspot.be/2012/03/nsw-singapore-airlines-jet-damaged-when.html |website=Voin |last1=Aplle-yes |title=NSW: Singapore Airlines jet damaged when aerobridge collapses |date=2001-02-01 |access-date=2013-01-09}}</ref> Hong Kong, Seattle, Los Angeles,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/47591/2-injured-when-jet-bridge-collapses-at-la-airport |website=Inquirer News |title=2 injured when jet bridge collapses at LA airport |date=2011-08-25 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=2013-01-09}}</ref> Baltimore,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2018/12/29/bwi-jetway-bridge-collapses-baltimore-washington-airport-injures-6/2443192002/ |date=Dec 29, 2018 |title=Defective bracket discovered on collapsed jetway bridge at Baltimore-Washington International Airport|first=Dalvin|last=Brown|website=USA TODAY |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131201927/https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2018/12/29/bwi-jetway-bridge-collapses-baltimore-washington-airport-injures-6/2443192002/ |archive-date= Jan 31, 2023 }}</ref> and Islamabad.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/378674-jetway-collapse-at-islamabad-airport-injures-one|title=Jetway collapse at Islamabad airport injures one|date=9 October 2018|work=The News International|access-date=22 October 2018}}</ref>

Airports frequently charge increased fees for using loading bridges on stands as opposed to mobile stairs, therefore low-cost airlines such as [[Ryanair]] have avoided using these wherever possible.

===Marketing===
Marketing space on jetways was uncommon until the early 2000s when [[HSBC]] launched their campaign "The World's Local Bank".<ref>{{Cite web|date=2009-10-13|title=New campaign for the worlds local bank|url=http://www.hsbc.com/1/2/newsroom/news/2002/new-campaign-for-the-worlds-local-bank|access-date=2020-11-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091013130818/http://www.hsbc.com/1/2/newsroom/news/2002/new-campaign-for-the-worlds-local-bank|archive-date=2009-10-13}}</ref>

Peter Stringham, head of marketing for HSBC worldwide,<ref>[http://www.hsbc.com/1/2/newsroom/news/2002/new-campaign-for-the-worlds-local-bank New Campaign for World's Global Bank]</ref> worked closely with Lowe's, the Group's global agency, in developing the campaign which required a single global platform. Stringham noticed jetways were a global medium which had not been tapped.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pandey |first=Rayana |url=http://marketing-interactive.com/news/30818 |title=Marketing, HSBC: The World's Local Bank no more, GLOBAL, ADVERTISING, Campaigns, Branding, Brand reputation, Competitions, &#124; Market-interactive.com |publisher=Marketing-interactive.com |date=2012-02-07 |access-date=2013-06-29 |archive-date=2013-06-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603144303/http://www.marketing-interactive.com/news/30818 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

HSBC thus bought the rights to jetways across major localities in 81 countries and territories.<ref>{{cite web|last=Seeb |first=Eric |url=http://marketing555.wordpress.com/2012/02/26/hsbc-different-points-of-view-campaign/ |title=HSBC Different Points of View Campaign &#124; UW Marketing 555 |publisher=Marketing555.wordpress.com |date=2012-02-26 |access-date=2013-06-29}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center">
File:Kobe nakatottei06s3200.jpg|Adaptation of airport equipment for all-weather ship access, [[Kobe|Kobe, Japan]]
File:Incheon Airport5.JPG|Note outboard gantry and driving wheels on a jet bridge at [[Incheon Airport]], [[South Korea]]
File:Incheon Airport6.JPG|Interior of a modern glass-walled bridge at [[Incheon Airport]], [[South Korea]]
File:Heathrow Airbridge Control Panel.jpg|Control console
File:Bilbao Airport finger.jpg|Jetway at [[Bilbao Airport]] in [[Spain]], design by [[Santiago Calatrava]]
</gallery>

== See also ==
*[[Ground support equipment]]
*[[Mobile lounge]]
*[[Moveable bridge#Types|Moveable bridges]] for a list of other moveable bridge types

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Jet bridges}}

{{Commercial air travel}}{{Bridge footer}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jet Bridge}}
[[Category:Airport infrastructure]]
[[Category:Moveable bridges]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:Bridges by structural type]]