Find out why FSX jetways do not connect to AI aircraft, why Ctrl+J cannot fix it, and when an add-on jetway system may support AI traffic.
In FSX and FSX: Steam Edition, stock animated jetways are designed to serve the user aircraft, not AI traffic. Ctrl+J operates a nearby compatible jetway for your aircraft only, so an AI airliner can park correctly at a gate while its jetway remains retracted.
Is a retracted jetway beside AI traffic normal?
Yes; with stock FSX jetways, this is a simulator limitation rather than a broken AI aircraft or airport. AI traffic follows its flight plan, selects a compatible parking space and departs again, but it does not issue the user-controlled jetway command.
Increasing AI traffic, changing airport vehicle density or assigning a different gate will not add that missing interaction. Those settings can affect what appears at the airport, but they do not make a stock jetway dock with AI.
Can aircraft.cfg exit positions fix an AI jetway?
No aircraft configuration edit will make a stock FSX jetway respond to AI traffic. The passenger-door coordinates in the [exits] section matter when an aircraft is loaded as the user aircraft, but they do not override the stock jetway's AI limitation.
A mistake we see frequently is altering an AI model's exit coordinates when the jetway itself is behaving normally. If the same model also fails when flown by the user, follow our guidance on checking add-on aircraft door positions and gate alignment. Our explanation of how FSX detects and operates nearby jetways covers the user-aircraft requirements in more detail.
How can I confirm that this is only the AI limitation?
| What happens | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| AI parks correctly but the stock jetway remains retracted | Normal FSX behaviour | No stock configuration change is required |
| The jetway works after you load an aircraft at the same stand | Confirms an AI-only limitation | Leave the AI aircraft configuration unchanged |
| The jetway also fails for your aircraft | Parking alignment, door coordinates, scenery settings or an incompatible jetway | Test a default aircraft at a default animated gate |
| No AI aircraft occupies the gate | Traffic, parking size or scheduling problem | Use our checks for AI aircraft missing from airport gates |
Can an add-on make jetways connect to AI aircraft?
Some third-party jetway systems can animate around AI traffic, but only where AI support is explicitly provided. Support depends on the jetway technology used by the airport scenery, the installed controller and sometimes the AI model's door data; installing a ground-service add-on does not automatically convert every stock jetway.
First establish whether the airport uses stock FSX jetways or a separate add-on system. If GSX controls the stand, use the GSX-specific jetway diagnostic checks rather than changing stock FSX settings. Avoid assigning two different systems to control the same bridge, as duplicated or overlapping jetways can result.
Without an add-on that expressly supports AI docking, the practical answer is to leave the bridge retracted. It does not interfere with the AI aircraft's timetable, pushback or departure.