Most large jets arrive at the gate and wait for a jet bridge to be moved to the jet door. On a large jet I can recognize a novice driver immediately….I can see them move the jet bridge to the door and all of the sudden instead of arriving at the door it ends up near the window of seat 2 A…oops… backup is necessary and a second try. Usually the jet bridge hits it mark on the next try.
Now the jet bridge for a commuter jet is another story. I am not sure who trains the gate staff in connecting the jet bridge to a small jet….it must be more difficult than it looks…but some are sorely lacking in this skill. A commuter jet bridge is very slow and it has the most annoying buzzing sound I have ever heard. I can’t imagine who thought of that loud beeping sound (like the one attached)….I bet it was a man! It’s not too bad if someone can drive the bridge…
I just had the experience of sitting on the plane for over five minutes while someone tried to get the bridge to the door. The door was opened by the flight attendant waiting for the bridge to arrive. The gate staff slowly wormed the bridge to the door only to miss its mark four times. Each time backing up and trying again…and again…and again. How I wished for some earplugs…the continuous buzzing sound was driving us all nuts…whoever came up with that continuous buzzer (in 1 second intervals) must never fly on small jets. After the second attempt was missed, we began to take bets on how long it would take to land the bridge safely…at last success and the sound of silence…I don’t know which better…off I went on to my connecting flight!