The blast of heat and humidity passengers feel as they get off a plane and onto a jet bridge at Tampa International Airport will soon be a thing of the past, according to a TIA spokesperson.
"We're getting ready to, in the fall, install air-conditioning in our jet bridges," said TIA spokesperson Emily Nipps. "Which is going to be a huge change from what you feel now when you get off our jet bridges."
Nipps said 47 jet bridges will get the new air-conditioning units at a cost of about $1.8 million dollars. Airport techs tested out a few different systems before picking one that has already been installed in gate E-75, according to Nipps.
"When our CEO Joe Lopano got here three years ago, it was actually his idea to put air conditioning in the bridges," she said. "He felt that our passengers, particularly those that are coming from overseas, would feel a lot more comfortable if they didn't get hit with that blast of warm air when they're getting off the airplane."
That's an experience most passengers at TIA said they're familiar with on Wednesday.
"I definitely felt the heat and humidity as I stepped off into the tunnel," said passenger Linda Cook. "Kind of a blast hits you as you walk into it."
"It takes your breath away," said passenger Scott Hinrichs. "You're actually walking uphill on the jet way and I see a lot of older folks that will struggle getting up the jet way because of the heat."
Nipps said TIA will join only a few airports across the United States that currently pump air-conditioning into their jet bridges and the busiest ones will get the units first.
"The ones that get the most flights are going to definitely enjoy that air conditioning," she said.
Passengers said cooling off the jet bridges will make traveling a lot more comfortable at TIA.
"I think it's wonderful," Hinrichs said. "So, thanks to the Tampa Airport for doing that, that's for sure."
"I think that would be a great idea," Cook said. "Especially, boarding the plane. When you wait in a long line and you have to stand for awhile, the heat really gets to you."
Nipps said techs will begin installing the new air-conditioning units in Sept. and plan to complete the project by Feb. 2015.