Contact aircraft gates at airport terminals provide a seamless and accessible passenger experience by allowing direct boarding and disembarking via jet bridges, benefiting those with mobility issues. In contrast, remote hardstand gates require bussing passengers to and from the main terminal, adding complexity and accessibility challenges. As large airports face space and funding constraints, they adopt cost-effective solutions like optimizing gate utilization, renegotiating gate agreements, managing peak demand, and using remote hardstands for boarding and deboarding during peak periods.

The objective of this research project is to understand the key pain points in the passenger journey under remote operation, including for those passengers with accessibility and mobility issues, and all passengers having to deal with inclement and extreme weather. The results should identify the best practices in infrastructure planning and design that can help improve the experience, and practices that can improve the overall financial and operational efficiency of the remote boarding system.