Jet bridges changed the way airports work, and we are all very used to them now.
While all enable boarding and disembarkation easily and efficiently, they are not all built
the same. One of the most unusual types is the complex overwing bridge, built to facilitate large
widebodies such as the Boeing 747. Let’s find out where these jetbridges still operate today…
Jet bridges have been in use since the late 1950s when they started to be introduced at US airports.
This standard concept of an extending, moveable bridge began with United
Airlines installing them at New York JFK, Los Angeles, and San Francisco airports. American
Airlines soon did the same in San Francisco. The basic design of a series of telescopic tunnels
has changed little since then. They have become a little more sophisticated, with longer sections,
moveable terminal connections, and the use of automatic controls and leveling.
The single jet bridge was great for smaller aircraft. But boarding and unloading of large
aircraft this way took much longer (an important consideration for airlines).
Of course, external stairs could still be used, but this was harder with terminal access.
The dual jet bridge was soon developed. This sped up boarding by using two doors
whilst allowing the plane to use just one airport gate. This is often used today,
often for boarding economy and premium classes separately.
These double jet bridges work great for connecting to two doors when the doors are close together.
But what if there is a wing in the way, and you want to connect to a second door?
The overwing jetbridge was a solution for this. This uses a standard jet bridge structure to
connect to the forward door and an attached second bridge to branch out over the wing and
connect to a further aft door. It has been most commonly used with the Boeing 747 (connecting to
the rear door four), but some airports have used it for the A340 and 777, among others.
One early such structure was introduced at Los Angeles International Airport by TWA.
This, in fact, used three connected jet bridges, with the third overwing
bridge supported by a ground pillar. Other overwing gates suspended the
bridge with pylons to allow it to pass over the wing (providing better support). This allowed
the bridge to operate from just one terminal connection, taking up less space. The result
is a complicated piece of engineering and requires care to operate properly.
As far as we can tell, the only airport that overwing jetbridges still
operate at is Amsterdam Schiphol. Several such gates were installed from the 1980s onwards,
on the E, F, and G pier. As of February 2021, only two such gates remain – gates E20 and E22.
These gates are still in use, although not for the 747 anymore. KLM retired its last 747-400
in October 2020, and few other airlines are still operating them. The dual bridge still
works for the Boeing 777-300ER (using doors two and four). For other aircraft,
it can function as a single, albeit cumbersome, jetbridge.
Overwing bridges were used at many North American airports. They appeared early at LAX. Denver,
Albany, Austin, Calgary, and Vancouver airports all used a similar bridge style at some point.
The larger suspended bridges, similar to ones in Amsterdam,
were installed at New York JFK but have long been removed.
Have you boarded using an overwing jetbridge before? Let us know in the comments.