Jet bridge collapses amid deplaning of passengers at San Francisco airport

A jet bridge isbeing investigatedafter itgotdetached from a Hawaiian Airlines plane at San Francisco International Airport when the passengers werebeing deplaned, said the airport.

Recently, Hawaiian Airlines flight 42 left from Kahului inMauiand landed on time atSFO’sInternational Terminal A, according toFlightAware.

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There were no issues in the aircraft when it arrivedandthe jet bridge started its usual process of placing itself towards theexit door of the plane.

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According to SFO spokesperson Doug Yakel, just after the jet bridgewas positioned, it faced“a structural failure”with a metal strut and suddenly fell onto the plane.

All passengers safely disembarked from flight: Airline

Speaking to USA Today, Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson Alex Da Silva said that nearly half of the 179 passengers had deplaned when the mishap happened.

After thecollapse of the jet bridge, the rest ofthe guests and six crew members used the rear exit door and steps to come out of the plane.

Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson Alex Da Silva said,“All of our guests were ableto safely deplane, but our aircraft sustained some damage."The aircraft is getting repaired before it returns to service.

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Former American Airlines gate agent Bonnie Hayes, who had operated on jet bridges for 33 years and currently works as an expert witness in related lawsuits, while speaking to USA TODAY, said that she has“never (seen) the cab of the jet bridge collapse.”

Hayes said it is generally the responsibilityof the airport to perform routine maintenance checks of jet bridges, whichgenerally occurweekly or even daily.

“There’sso many checks thatare doneon these. Underneath, itmust’vebeen stressed,”shesaid.

The passenger boarding bridge will be out of service for repairs and investigations, said SFO.

(With inputs from agencies)