While San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has gone from good to even better with its ongoing terminal connector project, I’m sorry to report a casualty: the bouncy moving walkways connecting Terminal 3 to the F Gates. Strange as this may sound to outsiders, every United Airlines frequent flyer who traveled through SFO will know what I am talking about.
SFO Bouncy Moving Walkways Are Now A Relic Of History
I flew through SFO last night and work is certainly progressing on new corridors that will link the F gates to other gates…SFO is one of my favorite airports in the country and the airport is user-friendly and thoughtfully laid out.
United Airlines operates out of Terminal 3 (and beyond) and for years the F Gates (they used to be numbered numerically) were the central hub of United mainline operations.
Oh, the trips I took….including flying Burbank – San Francisco – Philadelphia nearly every other Sunday night during my last half of law school. I knew that terminal like the back of my hand and there was one part of it I enjoyed in particular…the bouncy moving walkways.
These moving walkways were not your standard walkways. Instead, they were made of what appeared to be thick rubber…you could skip and hop down them and it would feel like walking on a trampoline.
Even Jennifer Garner loved them.
Last night, however, was their swan song. Today, the new terminal connectors open and with that comes the end of an era: the moving walkways will be blocked off and soon dissembled to make way for new gate construction.
Last night, I walked over them once more…and I may have taken a few laps…
I really get that it is hard to understand what the big deal is, but it is…it has been a part of my regular flying for 20 years and I will miss that…where else can you skip down a moving walkway? It was part of the familiar rhythm of my travels, much like my favorite seat on the plane.
My understanding is that Memphis (MEM) and Miami (MIA) may still have these moving walkways, though SFO is the only airport I have ever seen them at.
CONCLUSION
I’ll miss the bouncy moving walkways at SFO but I guess it was time for a terminal facelift. After all, the gates still have “No Smoking Beyond This Point” signs when smoking has only been banned for nearly 30 years…
But I’ll miss them…
> Read More: SFO Airport Was Made For Jennifer Garner
People still try to smoke… so you have to have signs.
In CLT, the TSA agents tell every single passenger at ID check “No firearms” verbally because a deaf guy got arrested last year with a gun and sued over apparently no compliant notifications to tell him no firearms.
(Yet Sunday morning flying out, I got delayed almost a half hour at the checkpoint as my bag was “frozen” at the exit to the machine because the idiot behind me had…. a loaded handgun)
Sorry, make that blind not deaf.
I know them well and always loved using them. I’m going to miss them.
On the positive side, every terminal in the airport can now be accessed by foot airside. It takes a good 10-15 minutes to go from the G gates to the other international terminal, but it can be done.
Miss them, I grew up with them as a kid, then returned to using that terminal a lot after the CO merger and it was nostalgic then. Wasn’t expecting to see them stay another decade and a half, but enjoyed that. Also liked the warmth of the low acoustic ceiling in muted color paint, which added to the relaxing feel.
Hopefully the far end of that concourse stays close to as is, it’s airy and comfortable, really ahed of its time.
DFW has pretty similar walkways going between Terminal A and Terminal C
beat me to it
I knew they were special so in 2023, I made an effort to walk on them thinking that they would not be there forever. I have many memories of walking on them 20 years ago and more recently than that. It is an end of an era.
Thank you for this report.
Can confirm they do have these at MIA, located landside within the skybridge which must be taken to get from the airport to the people mover which runs to the MIA rental car center/public transit connections.
I too enjoy the bounciness probably more than I should.
That said, being a mechanized piece of equipment at MIA, it seems to be inoperable more often than not.
Come to DFW and get your bouncy travelator fill between terminals A&C!
Really is the unsung love about DFW for me. The ability to walk between four of the five terminals so easily is just the best and a great way to pass time if you arrive early or have a long connection.
I do forget though… I know the Connectors between D & C and B &A have moving walkways but I don’t recall if they’re the bouncy ones like between A&C.
SFO has finally connected their terminals AIRSIDE!!!!! It is still confusing when dropped off or parking at the terminal.. If you park u have to go up to go over to the check in areas then down to check in… Also If you are flying Delta you must check in at the new Terminal 1 area and go thru their TSA –It is a nightmare with the new baggage system (ALSO You must go to a Kiosk and put info in and printout the bag tag…Then get in line to hand bag over after you show your ID.. Just like horrid United… If you want to go thru TSA there the conveyor belt gray box system is VERY SLOW Then u must walk over to the Terminal 2 to get to your gate… vs the gate at terminal 1… nuts..ALso the DL sky club is in terminal 2
I’ve read elsewhere a lot of airports are getting rid of the moving walkways because shops want you to walk by them and have a chance to enter them but I think that is stupid.
Airports are horribly unfriendly to people who have issues walking (age, medical condition, etc.) and the walkways help a lot to reduce the walking. Most airports don’t have enough carts or wheel chair attendants.
And no, I’m not someone that needs help walking but at some point most people do and it is unfortunate the way they are set up.
CDG T1 has them also
Yes indeed! I just remembered.
I’m heartbroken. At least there are still the turbo walkers at Toronto Pearson.
ORD had them (and might still) underground from the United Terminal to the Hilton. Really bouncy which always felt soothing.
I will truly miss them as well. I believe YUL still has a bouncy walkway (on the domestic side, the underground walkway to the satellite concourse for regional jets/props), although I haven’t had to use it in a few years.
Walking on these always made me think that I was walking on the moon. They made me feel like a kid again, even if was just for a minute or two.
Yes!
Good riddance, I am not a fan. Too many kids playing on them so there were worthless in terms of keeping pole moving.