I don’t recall hearing this exchange until about a year ago. But now, when a plane pulls up to the gate, a voice (probably a flight attendant) announces, “1L-1R”. A couple seconds later, a different voice announces, “2L-2R”. As near as I can figure, this seems to mean, “Everything’s OK up here” and "“Everything’s OK back here”. But can you tell me more specifically what it means and whether I’m correct in thinking it’s something new?
They are the doors, but I don’t know exactly why they’re calling them out. Perhaps they’re opening them, but I can’t guarantee that.
The doors are numbered from the front 1, 2, 3, etc. The L and R is left or right, so the L1 door would be the front left hand door, the one that is normally used to board on a 737, MD-80/90, or an Airbus 320 series. The larger Airbuses and Boeings (757s and 767s, etc) normally use L2, at least in my limited experience. For the big stuff, like the 747, 777, and A-340s, I have no idea what they do.
The right side doors are used (usually) to reservice the aircraft, cargo doors are on the right (underneath), and the catering/service trucks pull up to the right cabin doors.
They’re probably announcing that the doors are ready for opening, and that the girt bars for the escape slides have been disengaged. Just a WAG.
This is the old “cross-check,” now further spelled out. On landing, they’re confirming that the emergency slides have been disarmed so, for example, the cleanup crew coming in the back door doesn’t get an unpleasant surprise.
And yeah, I’ve noticed them doing a more complete job of this, including identifying the doors, more recently.
Dammit! Banhattan beaten to the punch by Bandana!
It’s a good thing you’re retiring, you’re losing your touch. 