Methods of boarding, deplaning, and transferring passengers on regional aircraft

Abstract

An air travel system preferably uses an airport terminal or concourse that includes at least one regional aircraft boarding pier and at least one boarding bridge for larger aircraft. The regional aircraft boarding pier includes a primary passenger bridge extending from the airport terminal or concourse; a pier hub connected to the primary passenger bridge; and a plurality of secondary passenger bridges connected to, and extending from, the hub. Each secondary passenger bridge has a docking end for docking with a regional aircraft. A method of operating this air travel system includes boarding a passenger on a regional aircraft by sending the passenger through the regional aircraft boarding pier. This may be before or after the passenger also uses a boarding bridge to board a larger aircraft which is a connecting flight in the passenger's travel itinerary. This method allows the passenger to transfer between regional and larger aircraft within a single airport concourse or terminal.

1 - 12 . (Cancelled)  
   
   
       13 . A method of operating an air travel system using an airport terminal or concourse that comprises at least one regional aircraft boarding pier, wherein the regional aircraft boarding pier includes: 
 a pier hub; and    a plurality of secondary passenger bridges connected to, and extending from the hub, wherein at least one of the secondary passenger bridges includes a docking end for docking with a regional aircraft; the method selected from boarding and deplaning a passenger from a regional aircraft by sending the passenger through the regional aircraft boarding pier.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , the method further including: 
 informing the passenger of a designated gate having a boarding bridge for a larger aircraft in the same terminal or concourse, the larger aircraft being a connecting flight in a travel itinerary of the passenger.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , the method further including: 
 informing the passenger of a designated gate having a boarding bridge for a larger aircraft in the same terminal or concourse, the larger aircraft being a connecting flight in a travel itinerary of the passenger; and    sending the passenger through the boarding bridge for the larger aircraft at the designated gate.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the airport terminal or concourse further includes at least one boarding bridge for a larger aircraft, the method including sending the passenger through the boarding bridge for a larger aircraft before or after sending the passenger through the regional aircraft boarding pier.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , the method further including: 
 deplaning the passenger from a larger aircraft by sending the passenger through the boarding bridge for that larger aircraft prior to sending the passenger through the regional aircraft boarding pier; and    informing the passenger of a designated gate at which is located the regional aircraft boarding pier where a connecting flight in a travel itinerary of the passenger on a regional aircraft is or will be boarded.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the regional aircraft boarding pier is a first regional aircraft boarding pier, the method further including: 
 deplaning the passenger from the first regional aircraft boarding pier;    informing the passenger of a designated gate at which is located a second regional aircraft boarding pier where a connecting flight in a travel itinerary of the passenger on a regional aircraft is or will be boarded; and    boarding the passenger at the second regional aircraft boarding pier.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the regional aircraft boarding pier is a first regional aircraft boarding pier, the method further including: 
 deplaning the passenger from the first regional aircraft boarding pier;    informing the passenger of a designated gate at which is located a second regional aircraft boarding pier where a connecting flight in a travel itinerary of the passenger on a regional aircraft is or will be boarded; and    boarding the passenger at the second regional aircraft boarding pier, the second regional aircraft boarding pier including: 
 a primary passenger bridge extending from the airport terminal or concourse;  
 a pier hub connected to the primary passenger bridge; and  
 a plurality of secondary passenger bridges connected to, and extending from the hub, wherein at least one of the secondary passenger bridges includes a docking end for docking with a regional aircraft.  
   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein plurality of secondary passenger bridges includes a first secondary passenger bridge and a second secondary passenger bridge, wherein deplaning the passenger occurs at the first secondary passenger bridge, and wherein boarding the passenger occurs at the second secondary passenger bridge.  
   
   
       21 . A method of organizing an air travel system, the method comprising: 
 identifying a route within the air travel system that is serviced by using both a first regional aircraft and a second regional aircraft; and    locating a connection between the first regional aircraft and the second regional aircraft in an airport terminal or concourse that includes a regional aircraft boarding pier; wherein the regional aircraft boarding pier includes: 
 a primary passenger bridge extending from the airport terminal or concourse;  
 a pier hub connected to the primary passenger bridge; and  
 a plurality of secondary passenger bridges connected to, and extending from the hub, wherein at least one of the secondary passenger bridge includes a docking end for docking with a regional aircraft.  
   
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , further including minimizing a distance between the first regional aircraft and the second regional aircraft in the airport terminal.  
   
   
       23 . A regional aircraft boarding pier, comprising: 
 a first primary passenger bridge extending from an airport terminal;    a first pier hub connected to the first primary passenger bridge;    a first plurality of secondary passenger bridges connected to, and extending from the pier hub, wherein at least one of the secondary passenger bridges includes a docking end for docking with a regional aircraft; and    at least one of: 
 a single generator; and  
 a single air conditioning unit.  
   
   
   
       24 . The regional aircraft boarding pier of  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the single generator and the single air conditioning unit is configured to service up to seven regional aircraft.  
   
   
       25 . The regional aircraft boarding pier of  claim 23 , wherein at least one of the single generator and the single air conditioning unit is housed beneath the first pier hub.  
   
   
       26 . The regional aircraft boarding pier of  claim 23 , wherein the single generator includes a 400 Hz generator.  
   
   
       27 . A regional aircraft boarding pier, comprising: 
 a first primary passenger bridge extending from an airport terminal;    a first pier hub connected to the first primary passenger bridge; and    a first plurality of secondary passenger bridges connected to, and extending from the pier hub, wherein at least one of the secondary passenger bridges includes a docking end for docking with a regional aircraft, and wherein at least one of the first plurality of secondary passenger bridges extending from the first pier hub is pivotally connected to the hub through a primary hinge point.    
   
   
       28 . The regional aircraft boarding pier of  claim 27 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of secondary passenger bridges extending from the first pier hub further includes: 
 an aircraft adaptor disposed at the docking end; and    wherein the aircraft adaptor is pivotally connected to the secondary passenger bridge through a secondary hinge point.    
   
   
       29 . The regional aircraft boarding pier of  claim 27 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of secondary passenger bridges extending from the first pier hub further includes: 
 an aircraft adaptor disposed at the docking end;    wherein the aircraft adaptor is pivotally connected to the secondary passenger bridge through a secondary hinge point; and    wherein at least one of the first plurality of secondary passenger bridges is driven with a device selected from hydraulics and a motor.    
   
   
       30 . The regional aircraft boarding pier of  claim 27 , wherein at least one of the first plurality of secondary passenger bridges extending from the first pier hub further includes: 
 an aircraft adaptor disposed at the docking end; and    wherein the aircraft adaptor includes a flexible connector.    
   
   
       31 . A regional aircraft boarding pier, comprising: 
 a first primary passenger bridge extending from an airport terminal;    a first pier hub connected to the first primary passenger bridge;    a first plurality of secondary passenger bridges connected to, and extending from the pier hub; 
 wherein at least one of the secondary passenger bridges includes a docking end for docking with a regional aircraft; and  
 wherein each of the first plurality of secondary passenger bridges extending from the first pier hub is pivotally connected to the hub through a primary hinge point.  
   
   
   
       32 . The regional aircraft boarding pier of  claim 31 , wherein each of the first plurality of secondary passenger bridges extending from the first pier hub further includes: 
 an aircraft adaptor disposed at the docking end, and wherein the aircraft adaptor is pivotally connected to the secondary passenger bridge through a secondary hinge point.