On 28 October, the second stage of replacing the passenger bridges in pier B began with the dismantling of gates B37, B38 and B40. During the first stage, in April last year, a triple passenger bridge was taken into service at gate B31-33.
At gate B37, the single passenger bridge will be replaced by a double passenger bridge. The passenger bridges at B38 and B40 will remain single bridges. The second stage will be completed by April 2020 and all passenger bridges will be replaced by September 2022.
Renumbering bus gates at pier B and opening of OSS RAL point
The new numbering of the bus gates and the opening of the OSS RAL came on the eve of the second stage of the replacement of the passenger bridges of pier B.
Since 23 October, the bus gates in pier B are numbered B18 to B26. Non-Schengen passengers who are taken by bus to their aircraft, have to take the slope to the bus platform halfway along pier B. The bus gates were previously numbered from B80 to B98. The new numbering now reflects intuitively the place where the passengers have to take the slope downwards.
On 25 October, a new Remote Access Lounge (RAL) was opened. This lounge is located halfway along pier B at the tarmac level. Arriving transfer passengers who fall under the One Stop Security legislation of the EU, can also go directly from there via the stairs and the slope to the departure area of pier B.
The benefits of the OSS RAL are two-fold. A passenger travelling under the OSS principle no longer has to pass needlessly through an additional screening and can immediately enjoy the best the airport has to offer. The transfer screening platform on pier B also has to handle fewer passengers, which reduces the waiting times for the other passengers.