Is this standard operating procedure or just coincidence?
2007-02-04 01:38:46 · 19 answers · asked by howardlee1977 4 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Aircraft
Actually, usually one enters on the LEFT side of the plane.
On a DC-9/MD-80 variant, the left side door is full sized, where as the right side door, or SERVICE DOOR, as it is called, is half height. Why? Any time you cut a hole in the exterior skin, you weaken that area, and the internal structure needs to be beefed up, which adds weight. So, the service door is smaller, requiring less beefing, thus saving weight.
P. S. left/right is ALWAYS as you are in the aircraft facing forward.
2007-02-04 05:41:14 · answer #1 · answered by strech 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You dont, you ALWAYS enter the airplane on the left-hand side. One reason is that airplanes are built that way, the doors on the right are for catering & cleaning crews, additionally, the baggage doors on nearly all airplanes excluding the small regional aircraft are on the right side. Another reason for this is airport uniformity, they wouldn't want to have to have two jet bridges on every gate to accomidate different aircraft. Finally, most procedures begin on the left side of the airplane because that is where the captain sits in the cockpit. When de-icing the process always begins on the pilot's side so that if icing occurs after de-icing, the captain will see it first and make the judgement call. Same is true with boarding, he will see that the jetbridge has been pulled back before he gives to OK to the ground crew to begin pushback.
2007-02-04 14:43:27 · answer #2 · answered by ALOPILOT 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Passengers and crew board from the port side due to the standard operating procedures. Jetways and, in some airports, airstairs are attached to the port side while the baggage handling and catering are done on the starboard side. In fact, when the 747 first entered service in the early 70s, some airports actually broke with tradition and used jetways on both sides of the aircraft in an attempt to expedite boarding. However, the boarding procedures confounded many passengers, and the jetways attached to the starboard side were removed.
2007-02-04 04:33:09 · answer #3 · answered by Alexander Yu 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
most jetways connect to the aircraft on the left side of the plane. this is why you always enter on the left side. and for those planes that stop at spaces that do not have jetways, this is where the door has steps to get down to the tarmac, planes such as Bombardier Q400 and Airports such as SEA-TAC (Seattle-Tacoma International Airport)
2007-02-04 06:44:55 · answer #4 · answered by mcdonaldcj 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Standard operating procedure, it means pilots do the same thing when parking up at all airports
2007-02-04 01:43:13 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
this is just a convention agreed upon in the airline industry. it allows airports to use one kind of loading ramp for any plane. if there were doors on both sides, the airport would need two types of ramps and they would have more complex airplane traffic patterns near the loading gates.
2007-02-04 01:52:45 · answer #6 · answered by michaell 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
its not just right. im used to entering on left. i think both sides have doors. its just what side the airport has the gates come in one.
2007-02-04 15:23:18 · answer #7 · answered by cparkmi331 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every plane i've seen or been on the passengers board from the left ( #1 side). Are you sure about the right side, or are you meaning from the way you see it from inside the terminal?
2007-02-04 02:46:24 · answer #8 · answered by JET_DOC 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It depends on the position of the gates. most aircraft have doors on both sides of the body, so depending on the situation either left or right doors can be used.
2007-02-04 03:38:35 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's bad luck to enter on the wrong side.
You only enter on the "port side" if your'e entering a flying boat!
2007-02-04 02:31:44 · answer #10 · answered by billy brite 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋