Taoyuan Airport unveils 34-meter double-decker glass jet bridge; prepares to welcome A380 by year-end

▲ Taoyuan Airport’s smart double-decker glass jet bridge. (Photo / Provided by Taoyuan International Airport, the same below)

Reported by Chen Rui-zhong / Comprehensive report

Taoyuan International Airport is expected to welcome the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the A380, by the end of the year. To properly accommodate the A380, many of the airport’s facilities and specifications have had to be thoroughly reviewed and confirmed. Among these, a specially built “smart double-decker glass jet bridge” at Stand C2 is ready to receive this aerial giant.

The A380 is currently the world’s largest passenger aircraft by capacity, measuring 72.72 meters in length, with a wingspan of 79.75 meters and a height of 24.09 meters. Many airlines use it for popular medium- to long-haul routes. For instance, Emirates’ A380 service between Dubai and Copenhagen features a two-class layout and can carry up to 615 passengers, making it the highest-capacity route in the world.

The newly completed Stand C2 “smart double-decker glass jet bridge” at Taoyuan Airport is set to officially begin operation on June 10. The bridge has a fully extended length of 34.6 meters, which can be retracted to just 20.6 meters in just one minute. It improves upon previous bridges with height differences and features dual-layer handrails that are 70 cm and 90 cm high respectively, creating an accessible and user-friendly space. Additionally, the new bridge is equipped with smart sensors that emit warning sounds or even automatically brake if it gets too close to the aircraft or other objects. In the future, Stand D6 will be upgraded similarly, giving the A380 two dedicated stands at Taoyuan Airport.

▲ The new jet bridge features a telescopic design and dual-layer handrails to create an accessible space.

Guo Yu-ping from the Public Affairs Office of Taoyuan Airport stated,Currently, A380 fleets operated by airlines including Emirates, China Southern, Singapore Airlines, and Asiana Airlines may become the first A380s to arrive in Taoyuan.For Taoyuan Airport, the arrival of the A380 represents recognition of the airport’s facilities and capabilities, and will also help enhance its international profile and advance its goal of becoming a hub for transit services.

Taoyuan Airport also noted that earlier this year, a brand-new runway was completed. The southern runway has been extended by 450 meters, bringing its total length to 3,800 meters, with a total width including shoulders of 75 meters, meeting A380 requirements. After renovation, the “takeoff and landing category” has also been upgraded from the original Category I (CAT I) to Category II precision approach runway (CAT II), meaning operations are less affected by low visibility. When the A380 lands on the southern runway, the planned standard taxiing route is via Taxiway S to Taxiway Q2, leading directly to Stand C2 right in front. The ground handling operational area, no-parking zones, and stand stop lines on the apron have all been marked and completed.