Over-the-Wing Bridge

The DABICO FMT Over-the-Wing (OTW) Bridge connects to the aft passenger door of a Boeing 737 while a standard forward bridge serves Door 1L simultaneously, enabling simultaneous dual-stream boarding and deboarding. It was originally developed in the late 1980s for DC-9 and MD-80 rear-door configurations; the current second-generation design, developed around 2000, is optimised for the Boeing 737 family (737-700 through 737 MAX variants).

Docking is fully computer-controlled after a single push-button activation from the operator at the forward bridge — the OTW performs its entire approach, lateral alignment, and height adjustment autonomously, completing connection within a one-minute cycle. This removes the need for a second bridge driver and eliminates manual positioning error at the aft door. FMT's own data attribute approximately a 50% reduction in turn-around time to the OTW system versus single forward-door boarding alone.

For airline and airport procurement teams, the OTW's value calculation is straightforward: at a Boeing 737-intensive station where gate occupancy time drives schedule reliability, halving effective boarding/deboarding time is a direct revenue-protecting measure. The bridge is a complement to a forward MTB or nose-loader, not a standalone product — procurement requires a paired forward bridge or a control integration plan. FMT has an active development programme extending OTW capability to larger narrowbody aircraft beyond the current 737 envelope.

At GCC low-cost and point-to-point terminals running high-frequency 737/737 MAX operations, the OTW is the most direct available bridge-based intervention for gate utilisation improvement.