SACRAMENTO - Southwest Airlines, the busiest carrier at Sacramento International Airport, is allowing passengers on selected flights to board and exit the aircraft through the rear door in an effort to reduce turnaround times.
The month-long experiment in dual boarding at gates 12, 14 and 15 began last week and the early results are encouraging, according to Southwest's manager of ramp and ground operations at the airport.
"We've had up to 17-minute gains on certain aircraft," Pedro Teixeira said. "So this provides a benefit for everyone."
U.S. airlines spend tens of millions of dollars annually on planes that sit on the ground when they could be flying, and have spent untold time and money studying ways to make the boarding process more efficient.
Perhaps the answer is a simple as doubling the number of doors being used.
Teixeira said shorter turnaround times in Sacramento can help keep the whole Southwest system on schedule by compensating for delays caused by weather and other factors.
After entering the jetway, boarding passengers are given a choice of continuing to the front door of the plane or walking down a set of exterior stairs to the tarmac.
On the tarmac, Southwest employees guide passengers to a rolling stairway at the tail of the plane.
It's similar to the dual boarding process used for years at Burbank Bob Hope Airport where there are no jetways.
On Monday afternoon, a flight arriving at SMF from Los Angeles International Airport deplaned in about six minutes, with about half the passengers choosing the rear exit.
Teixeira said deplaning through a single door can sometimes take up to 20 minutes for a full flight.
On the outbound flight to LAX a short time later, fewer passengers chose the exterior stairs -- but Teixeira said the total time savings was still substantial.
"We probably saved a good 10 to 12 minutes in the whole process," he said. "We love it."
Teixeira said dual boarding is also being tested at Mineta San Jose International Airport.
