Mobile Lounge at Dulles International Airport
Credit : Bong Lee
THE FAMOUS
DULLES MOBILE
LOUNGE
BY EMILY MCGEE
The unique experience of transporting passengers across airport grounds in gigantic-wheeled vehicles has withstood the test of time in only one place : Dulles International Airport . While some may want to scrap the idea for more modern transport modes , others romanticize the step-saving experience of riding at eye-level past airplanes and terminals on the way to their gate .
While these giant boxes on wheels are often referred to as mobile lounges , many Dulles travelers might be unaware that two different types of these vehicles are in use today : the mobile lounge and the plane mate . The mobile lounge is used for travel between the terminals . It can be driven from either end of the vehicle and is an efficient way to move up to 100 passengers at a time .
Plane mates are primarily used for international arrivals , transporting passengers to customs . They can also raise or lower themselves to meet an aircraft ’ s door , much like a jet bridge would . This capability allows any parked aircraft to be loaded or offloaded during irregular operations .
The flexibility that the plane mates offer to airport operations is a critical asset . Unlike a standard bus , a plane mate can accommodate dozens of wheelchairs and avoids the use of staircases . This keeps passengers out of the weather and makes for an easy transfer from the plane to any location at the airport . Each concourse at Dulles has several built-in doorways that link directly to mobile lounges and plane mates for convenient loading and unloading .
“ The mobile lounge fleet is an essential part of the Dulles operation . With this equipment , we can move large numbers of passengers safely and efficiently with minimal impact on aircraft movements . The current fleet rehabilitation program will allow us to improve the customer experience well into the future ,” notes Airport Manager Richard Golinowski .
The entire fleet is due for a massive refurbishment project that started earlier this year and will take a decade to complete . The Airports Authority team carefully analyzed the mobile lounges and plane mates , their usefulness to the airport , and the capacity of the aerotrain before deciding to refurbish and continue using these unique vehicles .
While point-to-point transport options by train will expand with the construction of new terminals , the changes will take decades and come with a significant price tag . In the meantime , the famous Dulles mobile lounges will be in service to take passengers where they need to go , with views unlike anywhere else !
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