AutoDocker to make boarding and deplaning faster

Just about everyone has been in line while waiting to board a plane, and perhaps only the acrophobic have wished it wouldn't take so freakin' long. Well, if you're in Denver, you may just be in luck. Dewbridge Airport Systems is claiming that its new robotic passenger bridge, dubbed the "AutoDocker," (no relation to the khakis-bot) will halve boarding and deplaning time by placing walkways at both the front and rear entrances on a plane. AutoDocker has been using its sensors and 3D object recognition abilities on doors of different types of aircraft starting this week on United Airlines flights coming in or out of Denver International Airport. We're pretty sure that if AutoDocker were to combine with that new Airbus emergency landing robot we spotted earlier this year, then all we'd need now is robotic air traffic controllers to complete the mechanization of air travel. Yes, that was a joke about flight attendants being robots.

[Via Robot Gossip]

[Geqxon @ Nov 9th 2006 10:36AM]

Do they have to make a dock for EVERYTHING?? I mean djees, every single day you see dozens of iPod docks with speakers intergrated, cell-phone docks, PSP docks, and now even a docking station for a plane? Has this world gone mad??

[GioNYC @ Nov 9th 2006 10:46AM]

This is great but. Now they are checking your bags one more time right on the ramp by the aircraft door entrance. So, again more lines to board.

[Shoe @ Nov 9th 2006 10:49AM]

Only allowing one carry on would have been cheaper, but okay.

[Jeff @ Nov 9th 2006 10:55AM]

Of course, this also all depends on airlines actually using this feature. Many jetways have had provisions for front and rear entrances for years. They're rarely used because it requires extra staffing by the airlines, which are all trying to control costs. So I don't see this having much effect.

[BernieM @ Nov 9th 2006 11:11AM]

I don't know... they have had this in Asia for years and they always end up dedicating one of the bridges to first and business class passengers. Coach folks will have to enter via one bridge through the rear of the plane.

Besides, the problem is usually people not showing up at the gate in time. They don't show up in time because they know, they'll stand around waiting for at least 15 minutes if they show up at the time printed on their boarding cards. The airlines know that passengers don't show up in time and consequently print ridiculous boarding times on the cards. etc.

[YaddaYadda @ Nov 9th 2006 11:13AM]

That's great and all, but since the Denver airport is 1000 miles out in the middle of the desert, shaving 10 minutes off your boarding time doesn't really speed up the airport experience. When they install this at LGA let me know.

[Timmah!!! @ Nov 9th 2006 11:19AM]

just because denver is not in your precious enn-why-see doesnt mean its in the desert. dont be retarded.

[Meltz; @ Nov 9th 2006 2:46PM]

yeah man, take it easy. DIA is freaking the best airport around!

[Jimmy C @ Nov 9th 2006 11:16AM]

Hmm -- I don't know, the last thing we automated here in Denver was our polling procedures, and that led to three-hour wait...

[YaddaYadda @ Nov 9th 2006 11:52AM]

That Denver airport is the most inconvenient I have ever flown through. If you think its location 40 miles from anywhere is acceptable, then you are the retard. You do realize the location and construction of the Denver airport are a disgrace of politcal corruption?

[Nick @ Nov 9th 2006 10:42PM]

i agree i lived in Aurora this summer and DIA is in fuck-ville nowhere. It sucks

[rench @ Nov 9th 2006 11:41AM]

i for one welcome our plane-docking, pasenger swallowing robotic overlords

[Riley @ Nov 9th 2006 11:48AM]

well this beats my idea of having a little person in a white suit and bowtie yelling, "deplane! deplane!" at passengers

[Zeke @ Nov 9th 2006 1:35PM]

Do you realize that DIA actually gets you through the airport efficiently? It's not a bloated airport built decades upon decades ago and it wasn't designed to support a fraction of its current load, like almost every other airport in the country?

Oh, and Colorado is nowhere near the Desert. Go to Phoenix. And Sky Harbor airport. THAT is an excellent example of a shitty airport. DIA, on the other hand, is pretty central, which is why it is United's hub.

[Huck @ Nov 9th 2006 12:39PM]

I survived the AutoDocker experience on a United flight on Tuesday and can confirm that Denver's electronic polling machines were in fact conspiring with the "3D object recognition abilities." Not only were the passengers frustrated by the robot's inability to line up with the back doors, but the flight attendants themselves were highly critical of the alleged time-savings. On a side note to United's management, train your staff not to criticize publically new policies, etc. It does not do much to bolster the passengers' confidence in the airline.

[PreGHz @ Nov 9th 2006 2:46PM]

Khakibot. AutoDocker.

Oh you guys.

[Meltz; @ Nov 9th 2006 2:51PM]

AND Frontier's hub. Oh, and given that the airport takes up over 53sq miles, I can sorta see why they didnt build it right smack in the middle of Denver.

[christopher @ Nov 9th 2006 5:02PM]

Hmm. I guess they didn't they learn the painful lesson with their automated baggage handling several years ago.

[bocaj @ Nov 9th 2006 11:55PM]

PLEASE say alight and not deplane. Deplane should only be used by mentally retarded stewardesses nee flight attendants

[David @ Nov 10th 2006 1:23AM]

I think it would be a lot worse actually. Imagine you have people going two different ways now instead of just ot the front. With only one door people are forced to move in the same direction but if you introduce a back door you now have those frustrating waiting to go froward turn around and go against the flow of people.

[rdom0995 @ Nov 10th 2006 8:50AM]

One DISEMBARKS from an aircraft. The word deplane is made up!

[Adam @ Nov 10th 2006 3:00PM]

Yes, its in nowhere, but please for the love of god see past your nose. In 20 years, the city will have grown and it won't be so far. Its kind of nice to know someone's thinking ahead when spending that obscene amount of money.

I used one of these dual-jetways on Friday coming through from Tampa on to Vancouver. I was surprised when they said pick a door - and that plane cleared out quick. Please copy to YYZ!!

And whoever said Sky Harbour is a shitpit, amen!!

[William C Bonner @ Nov 10th 2006 8:23PM]

I'm not so sure that this will improve loading of the plane, but I'm sure it will improve unloading of the plane significantly.

Anything that can be done to reduce the on-the-ground time for a plane improves its efficiency.

[R @ Nov 16th 2006 10:09PM]

I, for one, welcome our . . . Oh, nevermind.