WDB CAPTAIN REPORTS THAT WHEELCHAIRS FOR NON-AMBULATORY PAX ARE PLACED IN JETWAY PRIOR TO DEPLANING; POTENTIALY IMPEDING RAPID EGRESS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY.

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WITH EVERY ARRIVAL AT THE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL; AND ON ARRIVAL WITH THIS FLIGHT; THERE IS ALWAYS A LINE UP IN THE JETBRIDGE OF WHEELCHAIRS. THE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL USES ONLY ONE JETBRIDGE ON A WIDEBODY AIRCRAFT. THE JETBRIDGE IS EFFECTIVELY REDUCED TO A SINGLE LANE EXIT DUE TO THE WHEELCHAIR LINE UP. THE AIRCRAFT'S EXIT DOORS ARE DISARMED AT ARRIVAL AND IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT; A FIRE OR SUCH; DISASTER WILL ENSUE AS PASSENGERS WILL BE UNABLE TO EXPEDITIOUSLY EVACUATE THE AIRCRAFT AT THE INTERNATIONAL GATE WITH THE WHEELCHAIRS IN THE JETBRIDGE. I WOULD ADVOCATE THAT THE WHEEL CHAIRS WAIT IN THE TERMINAL UNTIL ALL AMBULATORY PASSENGERS HAVE DEPLANED. THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO HAVE GONE UNRESOLVED SINCE BRINGING IT TO THE ATTENTION OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES SOME TIME AGO.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER WAS UNSURE WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ADMINISTRATION OF WHEELCHAIR ACCESS PROCEDURES; THE AIRLINES OR THE ARPT MANAGEMENT. HIS CONCERNS ARE THAT IN A WORST CASE SITUATION SUCH AS A FIRE AT THE GATE; AFTER ALL EXITS HAVE BEEN DISARMED; HUNDREDS OF PAX WOULD BE RESTRICTED TO A SINGLE LANE FROM A SINGLE DOOR TO EXIT THE ACFT.