United Testing New Jet Bridge at Denver Int'l Airport

United Airlines has started testing the first of five new advanced jet bridges it plans to install at Denver International Airport, a move that will help the carrier reduce boarding times.

The fully automated bridges allow passengers to use both the front and rear doors of an airplane, easing bottlenecks that occur when everyone has to file through the same area.

United tested the first bridge Wednesday afternoon, eliciting cheers from a ramp crew after the airline successfully loaded a flight to Phoenix.

The carrier, Denver's largest, plans to start using the bridge regularly by Labor Day week and phase in another four bridges by the end of the year. All bridges will be used for flights on Ted, United's locally based discount carrier, which flies from Concourse B.

"We're starting first with Ted flights and then we'll see" if it makes sense to install more, said United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy. "This is the first time the technology is being used by any airline in the U.S., and we've chosen to start in Denver."

The new bridges automatically connect to planes using sensors that detect the aircraft's position on the tarmac, eliminating the need for workers to connect them manually.

The bridges essentially form a "Y" shape, with one arm connecting to the front of the plane and the other branching out over the aircraft's wing to the back door. The two merge before connecting to the gate.

United says it can halve the time it takes to board passengers. It also can reduce "turn time" - how long it takes to unload and then reboard a plane - by 10 minutes, allowing the carrier to fly its aircraft longer each day.

Dew Engineering and Development Ltd., the Ottawa, Ontario-based company that developed the bridges, said the "time is ripe" for the technology.

"Airlines are trying to find the best utilization of their aircraft," said Neil Hutton, vice president of Dew's bridge business unit. "Being able to use dual bridges gets passengers on and off quicker so airlines can use the aircraft for more flights."

If the bridges work as expected, United has said it wants to install them at its other major hubs.

INFOBOX

Quicker boarding

* What: United is installing automated jet bridges that allow passengers to use both the front and back doors to get on and off a plane.

* When: The first bridge should be in operation within the next two weeks.

* Why: United can halve the time it takes to board planes and cut 10 minutes off "turn time," which is how long its takes to unload a plane, clean it and then board a new set of passengers.

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