Regardless of the destination, the airline or the type of aircraft, the gesture is repeated in almost every airport in the world. Passengers enter and exit the plane on the left side. This apparently banal practice is not the result of a random choice or a recent decision. This is a rule with deep historical roots, inherited from other means of transport and maintained for reasons of efficiency, safety and operational organization.
According to Michael Oakley, editor-in-chief of The Aviation Historian, a website specializing in aviation history, many of the conventions of modern aviation were born from maritime navigation. Technical language is an example of this, but also the way aircraft are approached on the ground.
Just as ships traditionally dock on the port side, which corresponds to the left side, the first planes adopted the same principle. According to the same source, the continuation of this practice was considered sensible when commercial aviation began to gain scale.
An inheritance from the sea
For decades, maritime transport was the main reference in terms of logistics and procedures. When aviation began to develop, it was natural to follow already tested models.
The left side of the vessels was the one facing the pier, facilitating the boarding of passengers and goods. This logic was transposed to airplanes at a time when airport infrastructure was still rudimentary.
As airplanes became larger and more complex, the separation of functions around the aircraft gained importance. Passenger boarding is now done exclusively on the left side, while the right side is reserved for loading luggage, supplies and catering services. This division made it possible to reduce interference between passengers and ground teams, improving the efficiency of operations.
The experience that didn’t go well
This rule was not always followed absolutely. In the 1930s, United Airlines decided to test boarding on the right side. The experience, however, proved to be impractical. With the increase in air traffic and the number of passengers, the process became more confusing and less efficient. The company would eventually return to the traditional method, at a time when aviation was beginning to assert itself as a means of mass transport.
Another determining factor was the pilot’s position in the cockpit. Traditionally, the captain sits on the left, which allows him to have a more accurate perception of the distance in relation to the terminal or parking gate. This advantage has become particularly relevant with the growth of airports and the need for increasingly rigorous maneuvers on the ground.
Standardization in modern airports
With the development of more complex airports and the introduction of boarding bridges, standardization of procedures has become essential. Having all aircraft operate in the same way simplifies space management and reduces operational risks. Passengers enter and exit on the left side, while technical work takes place in parallel, without unnecessary intersections.
According to , this standardization is a clear example of how decisions made in the past continue to influence contemporary aviation. The practice continues not because of blind tradition, but because it continues to be functional in a highly regulated system dependent on precise routines.
What began as a legacy of maritime navigation ended up becoming a global rule, followed daily by millions of passengers who rarely ask themselves why they always board on the same side.
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