The first tests on the use of fully automated boarding bridges are underway at Singapore-Changi airport. Testing of the Passenger Loading Bridge began in recent days and will involve various air carriers: the local low-cost company Scoot, Bangkok Airways and the Dutch airline KLM.

This is how the system works: after a commercial aircraft lands on the runway and stops in front of the terminal, a system is able to automatically maneuver the boarding bridge until it is in position in front of the aircraft door. At that point, a screen located on the deck, near the window, will warn the crew, who can then start the disembarkation of passengers.

Currently, boarding bridges are semi-automated systems that require the intervention of airport operators. In practice, this means that the ground attendant controls the boarding bridge with a joystick, to hook it to the aircraft door. On the other hand, the Passenger Loading Bridge, once started by the staff, completes all phases automatically in about two minutes, minimizing possible human error.

Below, the video: