Whenever you head out on a vacation and walk down that terminal tunnel you probably never noticed that you always step onto the plane from the left side. It is one of those things we do without thinking about it but the real reason actually goes back a very long time. Here is why it happens.
It All Starts With Old Ships
A lot of things we do in airplanes actually come from old sailing traditions because flying was basically treated just like sailing in the sky. Boats used to have their steering oar on the right side so they had to pull up to the dock on the left side to let people on.
The Port and Starboard Rule
Since the boat parked on the left side that became known as the port side where everyone got on and off safely. The airplane makers just copied this exact same idea because it made sense to stick with a system that everyone already understood perfectly well.
Keeping Terminals Simple and Organized
As flying became way more popular they realized that all planes needed to board from the exact same side to make the airport buildings work right. It would be a total mess if some planes used the right door and some used the left door at the exact same time.
The Pilot Needs a Good View
The captain always sits on the left side of the cockpit so boarding on that side actually helps them park the massive plane. They can look right out the window and judge the distance to the terminal building so they do not accidentally crash into the gate.
Ground Crews Need Their Space
While you are walking onto the plane from the left side there is a whole lot of crazy activity happening on the right side. The luggage carts and catering trucks need plenty of room to load up the snacks and bags without running into any confused passengers.
Keeping Passengers Safe From Machinery
You definitely do not want to be walking around giant fuel hoses and heavy food carts while you are just trying to find your seat. Keeping the right side strictly for the workers makes sure nobody gets hurt by all that heavy airport machinery moving around.
United Airlines Tried To Be Different
A long time ago United Airlines actually tried putting their passenger doors on the right side just to see if it would work out better. They eventually had to give up and switch back to the left because it was just too confusing to do things differently from everybody else.
Jetways Were Built for the Left
When airports started building those long enclosed walking tunnels called Jetways they designed every single one of them to hook up to the left side. Once those expensive tunnels were permanently attached to the buildings there was absolutely no going back to any other way of doing things.
It Just Makes Flying Easier
Next time you hand over your boarding pass and turn left you can smile knowing you are actually following a really old sailor tradition. It is pretty wild how a boating rule from hundreds of years ago still controls how we start our summer holidays today.
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