Boeing 737 air stairs - GIF

[Altair]

Boeing 737 air stairs.




Previously:

F-35 boarding ladder - photo
Hood ladder on Volvo haul truck - GIF
Integrated ladder leveler - GIF
Collapsible step trailer ladder - photo
Tailgate ladder - video

[Karl_H]

Never been to that small of an airport that would require steps.

[Duke_of_URL]

"Air Stairs" are expensive "options" usually exercised by ultra-wealthy, aka "Very Very Important Person" (VVIP) owners of Boeing Business Jets (BBJ) and Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ). Flight Managers would rather not coordinate with airport management to bring mobile stair-trucks out to the aircraft, so it affords the crew flexibility to drop the principal off wherever they can park and have the limo door open once the stairs are down. One thing I learned working on aircraft of billionaires over many years is that their time is their most precious commodity in life. They never waste a second and employ "minders" to prevent them from doing so.

[metric_taper]

I was hoping to see the pressure door that would close off the stairway channel opening. That's not a simple thing to add to an aircraft pressure vessel, and I was not aware that Boeing had that as an option.

[Floradawg]

Never been to that small of an airport that would require steps.

I have. They rolled the stairs up to the plane. I can't remember where it was.

[daniel82]

I have.
They rolled the stairs up to the plane. I can't remember where it was.

The first time I came to Maui (Nov 29 '88), they rolled steps up to the plane at Kahului airport (OGG). I felt that warm humid tropical air, took a deep breath and said, "I'm home!"
Baggage claim was a long bench with a triangular longitudinal divider ramp. Baggage handlers drove up on the other side pulling a train of flat carts piled high with luggage, tossed it over none too gently (as is traditional). Nearly missed our connecting flight to Hana because we had no idea we were meant to be waiting in the commuter-flight terminal. I was on crutches at the time (long story having to do with my mother forbidding me having a motorcycle until I turned 18, then going to Mexico for 6 weeks...) so we ended up barely making it onto the little puddle-jumper to Hana airport, which closed up shop immediately after we landed: I mean, doors locked, shutters shutted, every employee vanishing like a magic trick. My brother and I stood there, sort of turning in circles, going 'Wait...but...where...?' Numerous calls on a pay phone ('member those?) to the guy who was supposed to meet us to drive us the 12 miles out to our final destination in Kipahulu (no electricity out there...) went unanswered, so we shrugged, picked up a fallen coconut, knocked a papaya out of a tree with a crutch, feasted on those (thank God for pre-TSA Swiss Army Knives!) and spent the night on a pair of luggage carts, swaddled in my brother's sleeping bag and blanket, battling mosquitos and listening to the barking geckos. There's MUCH more to that story, but I gotta go to Easter Brunch with a bunch of magicians...and that's another story altogether!

BTW, still here on Maui, 33+ years later...

Thank you for reading my travel blog...remember to like and subscribe!😏

[odd one]

The airport in Puerto Vallarta still have stairs for many flights. I kinda like it. Reminds me of when they barely had an airport.

[Floradawg]

The first time I came to Maui (Nov 29 '88), they rolled steps up to the plane at Kahului airport (OGG). I felt that warm humid tropical air, took a deep breath and said, "I'm home!"
Baggage claim was a long bench with a triangular longitudinal divider ramp. Baggage handlers drove up on the other side pulling a train of flat carts piled high with luggage, tossed it over none too gently (as is traditional). Nearly missed our connecting flight to Hana because we had no idea we were meant to be waiting in the commuter-flight terminal. I was on crutches at the time (long story having to do with my mother forbidding me having a motorcycle until I turned 18, then going to Mexico for 6 weeks...) so we ended up barely making it onto the little puddle-jumper to Hana airport, which closed up shop immediately after we landed: I mean, doors locked, shutters shutted, every employee vanishing like a magic trick. My brother and I stood there, sort of turning in circles, going 'Wait...but...where...?' Numerous calls on a pay phone ('member those?) to the guy who was supposed to meet us to drive us the 12 miles out to our final destination in Kipahulu (no electricity out there...) went unanswered, so we shrugged, picked up a fallen coconut, knocked a papaya out of a tree with a crutch, feasted on those (thank God for pre-TSA Swiss Army Knives!) and spent the night on a pair of luggage carts, swaddled in my brother's sleeping bag and blanket, battling mosquitos and listening to the barking geckos. There's MUCH more to that story, but I gotta go to Easter Brunch with a bunch of magicians...and that's another story altogether!

BTW, still here on Maui, 33+ years later...

Thank you for reading my travel blog...remember to like and subscribe!��

When you get bit by a mosquito over there it only itches a little and quits itching totally before long.

[NeiljohnUK]

I have. They rolled the stairs up to the plane. I can't remember where it was.

Naples Italy is mainly bus and steps loading/unloading, with only 3 'air-bridges' the last time I visited, might have 4 now.

[Rangi]

Well that bought back memories of working the line at the end of the 60's. Early models of the B737 had these stairs.
Thanks for the memories.