Why Does Biden Use the 'Short Staircase' When Boarding His Private Plane?

Preferring 14-Step Stairs Instead of the Usual 26-Step
"Trying to Reduce Falls Ahead of the Presidential Election"

U.S. President Joe Biden has recently started favoring the shorter staircase when boarding his official plane, the Air Force One, according to foreign media reports.

American outlet Politico and British daily The Telegraph reported on the 20th (local time) that “President Biden had primarily used the 26-step staircase connected to the side of Air Force One, but recently he has frequently been using the 14-step staircase located underneath the plane.”

According to The Telegraph, the 14-step staircase is typically used only during heavy rain or strong winds when using the longer staircase is difficult.

However, during his recent European tours to the UK, Lithuania, and Finland, President Biden consistently used the shorter staircase to board the plane despite good weather conditions. This has also been the case within the United States.

Politico speculated that this change stems from President Biden’s age. At 80 years old, it is seen as a measure to reduce the risk of him misstepping on the stairs.

U.S. President Joe Biden is boarding his private plane via a 14-step staircase. [Image source=Yonhap News]

In fact, since taking office, President Biden has misstepped on the presidential plane stairs more than three times. In 2021, during a visit to Atlanta, he stumbled multiple times while climbing the plane stairs, and earlier this year in Poland, he was seen staggering on the stairs.

Additionally, in March last year, he fell sideways after his shoe got stuck in the pedal clip while riding a bicycle, and last month, he tripped over a sandbag placed on the podium floor at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation ceremony. Each time, his age and health have become topics of public discussion.

Politico analyzed that “White House staff appear to be trying to prevent such mistakes by President Biden ahead of next year’s presidential election.” It is not good for the image of a head of state to be seen frequently stumbling at public events. However, Politico noted that “the White House is unlikely to acknowledge this interpretation.”

In response, a White House official explained, “The choice of which stairs to use depends on various factors, including weather, the conditions at the landing airport, and whether there is an official welcoming ceremony where the media might want to take photos from below the higher stairs.”

Meanwhile, President Biden, who previously always wore dress shoes with his suits, is now known to often wear sneakers when traveling within the U.S. Last week, when departing for his European tour or boarding the plane for domestic travel, he was seen wearing inexpensive sneakers without socks.