Airbridges - which carriers avoid them?
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Airbridges - which carriers avoid them?
There is rumour that ORK is ditching its plan to construct jetways as part of the new terminal construction. Now, those of us who have crossed the rather windswept apron at ORK to a waiting EI A321 would say the jetways were the only damn reason the place needed reworking (and a better duty free).
Apart from FR, who tend to avoid them, do the other LCCs (Baby, Easy, etc) use jetways for their 737/319 services?
Apart from FR, who tend to avoid them, do the other LCCs (Baby, Easy, etc) use jetways for their 737/319 services?
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The last thing any LCC carrier wants is an airbridge. The quickest way to turnaround 150 pax is to shovel em off both ends onto a bus or into terminal and then shovel em on both ends. Airbridges kill any chance of a 20 minute turnaround.
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Runway 31
Fr at Stansted do not use airbridges (the one's that dock to the aircraft). You would have used a "linkbridge" which involves a covered stairwell which connects to the Pier over a road and a walk across the ramp to/from the aircraft. Easy at stansted sometimes use the docking airbridge but more often than not do not.
Fr at Stansted do not use airbridges (the one's that dock to the aircraft). You would have used a "linkbridge" which involves a covered stairwell which connects to the Pier over a road and a walk across the ramp to/from the aircraft. Easy at stansted sometimes use the docking airbridge but more often than not do not.
Airbridges costs £££/€€€/$$$'s.
LCC's want the quickest & cheapest turn-arounds.
Windswept & wet pax are of no concern once they've boarded/disembarked.
They wont get a refund because it's raining...
LCC's want the quickest & cheapest turn-arounds.
Windswept & wet pax are of no concern once they've boarded/disembarked.
They wont get a refund because it's raining...
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Mark D : From what I've heard here and read in "dee echo" airbridges are not going to be in our beloved ORK!!
Started a similar thread before about airbridges at ORK and the lack of them for TA traffic etc...
Cant wait for the day when an A380 arrives at 5am direct from Signapore and the 550 passengers and they get a right royal Cork welcome by the drizzle/raing which always seems to blow sideways when I travel through there
On the subject of LCC using airbridges, Have flown SkyEurope from STN and they used airbridges at T1 which I found odd for a LCC but what probably numbed that shock was the rather loud boarding music which was blaring with really cheesy 80's disco music......."betty boo we do we do we do"
Wizz used them at BUD on the way back to LTN but when there was only 23 passengers to board that counted it was not so critical.
But I really thought I was living in a parallel universe when at EDI coming back new years day to DUB when the FR pulled up to an airbridge........... When we arrived we had to do the "Cork walk of shame" in the pouring rain from the a/c at EDI so I genuinely thought I was getting on the wrong flight!
Started a similar thread before about airbridges at ORK and the lack of them for TA traffic etc...
Cant wait for the day when an A380 arrives at 5am direct from Signapore and the 550 passengers and they get a right royal Cork welcome by the drizzle/raing which always seems to blow sideways when I travel through there
On the subject of LCC using airbridges, Have flown SkyEurope from STN and they used airbridges at T1 which I found odd for a LCC but what probably numbed that shock was the rather loud boarding music which was blaring with really cheesy 80's disco music......."betty boo we do we do we do"
Wizz used them at BUD on the way back to LTN but when there was only 23 passengers to board that counted it was not so critical.
But I really thought I was living in a parallel universe when at EDI coming back new years day to DUB when the FR pulled up to an airbridge........... When we arrived we had to do the "Cork walk of shame" in the pouring rain from the a/c at EDI so I genuinely thought I was getting on the wrong flight!
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I work for TCX (LGW) and i dont know why, but normaly TCX A/C use airbridges during the day... but remote stands during the evening/nights. Why? i dont know. Maybe 'cause a remote stand is a better place to spend de night? cheaper? nearer hangar? honestly i dont know why... but usualy happens.
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I am guesing they dont use the airbridge at night so it freesup the airbriges for other aircraft that will need them. In the morning does the aircraft get tuged on a airbrige or do the pax use a bus to get the aircraft? At GLA FlyGlobespan use airbriges but easyjet, baby, EU Jet and all the other locos use buses or the "walk of shame"
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I like that - Cork Airport's Walk of Shame in the wind and wet! Ha, ha!
However, the humour of it should not distract us from what is now intended for Cork Airport, namely, the plan to drop the three or so airbridges. Looks like the Dublin Airport Authority are throwing their weight around on this one arguing that as the new terminal budget is all ready 30 million euro too high they do not want to take on the added cost of the airbridges. To the best of my knowledge and at this late stage the airbridges have not even been tendered for!! Is there any forward planning of any kind at Cork Airport? They have new roads going everywhere like spaggetti junction but it looks like they have had no plans to incorporate airbridges or a modest runway extension. Sure, the locos dont worry too much about using airbridges but to have any credibility for any potential Atlantic services in the future there just has to be some airbridges. Otherwise, American airlines will just laugh at Cork. It is all about having the right infrastructure in place. The alternative is a drive past Cork Airport on your way to snn for your flight to America.
However, the humour of it should not distract us from what is now intended for Cork Airport, namely, the plan to drop the three or so airbridges. Looks like the Dublin Airport Authority are throwing their weight around on this one arguing that as the new terminal budget is all ready 30 million euro too high they do not want to take on the added cost of the airbridges. To the best of my knowledge and at this late stage the airbridges have not even been tendered for!! Is there any forward planning of any kind at Cork Airport? They have new roads going everywhere like spaggetti junction but it looks like they have had no plans to incorporate airbridges or a modest runway extension. Sure, the locos dont worry too much about using airbridges but to have any credibility for any potential Atlantic services in the future there just has to be some airbridges. Otherwise, American airlines will just laugh at Cork. It is all about having the right infrastructure in place. The alternative is a drive past Cork Airport on your way to snn for your flight to America.
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Okay, can someone please tell me how do Dub airport still get to call the shots at ORK???
Last time I checked, ORK had their own independent board of directors now...........
When does ork get full autonomy from DUB???
Last time I checked, ORK had their own independent board of directors now...........
When does ork get full autonomy from DUB???
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Could anyone give a guideline for how much these things cost to build / use each time?
Relative to alternatives -
Stairs presumably almost zero for the airport / I heard MOL say $250k for both ends on a 737-800.
Mobile boarding lounges - only used in very small # of places (IAD to access concourses, JED, DFW???)?
FR's stunted piers at STN?
Does presence of any disabled pax make any difference - how quickly is the decision made or otherwise - afaik baby use them at BHX, but if flight is late, they just use the steps.
Presumably certain a/c are too small to use them - iirc, Flybe do for the 146 if available, but not the Q400? At BHX, they seem to prefer busing pax to remote stands
Relative to alternatives -
Stairs presumably almost zero for the airport / I heard MOL say $250k for both ends on a 737-800.
Mobile boarding lounges - only used in very small # of places (IAD to access concourses, JED, DFW???)?
FR's stunted piers at STN?
Does presence of any disabled pax make any difference - how quickly is the decision made or otherwise - afaik baby use them at BHX, but if flight is late, they just use the steps.
Presumably certain a/c are too small to use them - iirc, Flybe do for the 146 if available, but not the Q400? At BHX, they seem to prefer busing pax to remote stands
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Seems the issue of airbridges at Cork Airport appears to be hotting up. Both the CAA and DAA have been called to appear before the Oireachtas Committee for Transport to explain the issue of airbidges at Cork, to see why they are now being put in doubt in view that they were a major part of the original planning submission. The committee wants Cork to confirm their position on whether they want them or not, and Dublin to confirm that they are not blocking funding. The committee are also calling EI to get their and other airline positions on the matter.
Also announced that EI will NOT now operate their Cork-Milan service as previously announced. It has been removed from their booking site.
Also announced that EI will NOT now operate their Cork-Milan service as previously announced. It has been removed from their booking site.
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Thanks to all who have replied so far. Any reason for the Cork-Milan or is it EI merely retrenching at Dublin due FRs new route announcements?
There's two airbridges at LBA (stands 7 and 8 b the way) and Jet2 make frequent use of both, assuming there isn't a BMI FK100 on 7 or a KLM FK100 on 8. Jet2's turnrounds are usually around the 30 minute mark in the peak season which allows a bit more time for disembarkation and embarkation from a single airbridge door.
Ryanair occasionally get parked on one of these stands and have been known to use the airbridges, but it's not normal. It probably depends on the number of pax.
BTW, I don't know what it costs to use an airbridge stand as opposed to a 'steps and weather' spot.
Ryanair occasionally get parked on one of these stands and have been known to use the airbridges, but it's not normal. It probably depends on the number of pax.
BTW, I don't know what it costs to use an airbridge stand as opposed to a 'steps and weather' spot.
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Good that there is at last some political follow up to last week's announced plan to to have no airbridges at Cork. Last week's meeting where all this news came to light was attended by Cork Airport's new chairman, Mr Gantely and a number of local public representatives that included no less than six TDs (MPs) and a number of councillors. Mr Gantley gave a talk on recent developments for the airport and would have remained mum about the plan to drop the airbridges except for careful probing by a tuned in politician! Buth think about it! Cork Airport users being downgraded once again to second class passengers and another 50 years of drenchings ahead for Cork Airport passengers? Is Mr Gantley being bossed around by the Dublin Airport Authority? Just whom is calling the shots at Cork Airport? Is it the board of Cork Airport or is it the Dublin Airport Authority? 
By the way, EI ORK-MXP gone because loads were poor and it was more profitable to restore a seven days a week daily to Paris CDG. More money in that! Has had nothing to do with the arrival of FR from snn to Bergamo for the coming season. The new EI service ORK-Rome FCO should be much more of a hit.
By the way, EI ORK-MXP gone because loads were poor and it was more profitable to restore a seven days a week daily to Paris CDG. More money in that! Has had nothing to do with the arrival of FR from snn to Bergamo for the coming season. The new EI service ORK-Rome FCO should be much more of a hit.
Last edited by Tom the Tenor; 27th Jan 2005 at 16:36.
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Q400
Hiya,
The Q400 is not compatible with an airbrisge because it is both too low down and the fwd pax door has built-in airstrairs. The rear pax door has telescopic-type airstairs.
The Q400 is not compatible with an airbrisge because it is both too low down and the fwd pax door has built-in airstrairs. The rear pax door has telescopic-type airstairs.
