Originally Posted by ryane946

One of the most fundamental pieces of economics for the airline industry is that airplanes don't make money sitting on the ground.

Quick turnarounds are at the heart of business plans for low cost carriers. Southwest airlines does not use an auto-breaking system on landing so that their brakes can cool during the quick turnaround period (and this led to the fatal crash at MDW). Wide body jets like the 767, 777, and 747 have two jet bridges to speed up in the loading of the 300+ passengers.

But why has no airline created a double jet bridge to board and deplane passengers from the front and rear of narrow body aircraft like the 737 and A320??? GENIUS! Passengers deplane twice as quick, they board twice as quick, and it is much less hassle for the passenger. It is especially helpful when there is a late arriving aircraft, and it can be turned much quicker to help prevent delays and misconnects throughout the system. United is now testing these new gates at DEN and plans to phase them into operations around 2007. (http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/tic...ymbol=US:UALAQ)

Why has no other airline thought this through? Why has it taken so long for an airline to implement this design? Any insights. Is this much more complicated than I make it out to be?
Thanks for your input.