Method and apparatus for controlling passenger flow into and out of aircraft

An apparatus for loading and/or unloading people from an aircraft, comprising:

• a passenger walkway having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being configured to be positioned adjacent to an aircraft doorway, the second portion being configured to couple to an aircraft terminal building, the first and second portions each having a floor portion, two wall portions extending upwardly from the floor portion, and a ceiling portion extending from the wall portions over the floor portion, the walkway being elongated along a longitudinal axis extending from the first portion to the second portion, the longitudinal axis dividing the walkway into a first aisle and a second aisle, with each aisle sized to accommodate at least one person walking along the longitudinal axis;
• and
• a restriction assembly movably coupled to the floor portion of the walkway, the restriction assembly including a first restriction segment movably coupled to the first portion of the walkway and a second restriction segment movably coupled to the second portion of the walkway, each restriction segment being movable relative to the walkway between a deployed position and a stowed position, with each restriction segment at least restricting movement by people from the first aisle to the second aisle when in the deployed position, and with each restriction segment at least partially retracted into the floor portion of the walkway to allow movement by people from the first aisle to the second aisle when in the stowed position, the restriction segments being selectively movable between the deployed and stowed positions.

A method for loading and/or unloading people from an aircraft, comprising:

• providing a walkway elongated along a longitudinal axis and having a restriction extending along the longitudinal axis with a first aisle positioned on a first side of the restriction and a second aisle positioned on a second side of the restriction;
• aligning the walkway with an aircraft door;
• directing first and second groups of people to pass through the walkway and the aircraft door;
• and
• directing the first group of people to pass through the first aisle and simultaneously directing the second group of people to pass through the second aisle while at least restricting access between the first and second aisles with the restriction.

A method for loading and/or unloading people from an aircraft, comprising:

• providing a walkway elongated along a longitudinal axis;
• deploying a restriction in the walkway with the restriction extending along the longitudinal axis to divide the walkway into a first aisle positioned on a first side of the restriction and a second aisle positioned on a second side of the restriction;
• aligning the walkway with an aircraft door;
• directing the first group of people to pass through the aircraft door and through the first aisle, and simultaneously directing the second group of people to pass through the doorway of the aircraft and through the second aisle while at least restricting access between the first and second aisles with the restriction;
• and
• stowing the restriction to allow access between the first and second aisles.

A method for making an apparatus for loading and/or unloading people from an aircraft, comprising:

• forming a walkway elongated along a longitudinal axis and having a first portion toward one end of the longitudinal axis and a second portion toward the other end of the longitudinal axis, the first portion being configured to be positioned adjacent to an aircraft doorway, the walkway having a width generally transverse to the longitudinal axis, the width being sized to accommodate at least two people walking abreast, the walkway having a first aisle positioned on a first side of the longitudinal axis and a second aisle positioned on a second side of the longitudinal axis;
• aligning a restriction with the longitudinal axis of the walkway;
• and
• coupling the restriction to the walkway with the restriction being positioned to at least restrict movement by people from the first aisle to the second aisle.