With the CRJ, I open the main entrance door, the service door, (for catering) and both forward and aft cargo doors all at the same time, right after gate arrival, once engines are shut down. I then command the jetway to connect, and request deboarding.
Likewise when departing from a cold and dark startup. Once power is applied to the aircraft, all entrance and cargo doors are opened, the jetway is connected, and I request boarding to commence.
Perhaps I should leave the cargo doors closed until requested to open them by GSX?
This is at default KELM and default KDTW, both of which have GSX/SODE jetways.
On departure, I do get a “beep” and text message advising me to close the main entrance door after boarding is complete, but no message to close the cargo doors. I’ll check the verbosity setting.
I’ll try with a different aircraft (PMDG 737), to see if results are different, since the CRJ is unusual in having the cargo doors on the left side.
In both cases, departure and arrival, the belt loaders come to the aircraft immediately after boarding/deboarding is requested, and raise up to match the lower edge of the open cargo doors. The two operators then stand next to the foot of the loaders and wait.
In the case of departures, the baggage carts remain in their holding area to the right of the gate. The moment the last passenger is boarded, they finally drive to the two loaders and start placing bags on board.
