People mover hit the dock at Dulles this afternoon

[Anonymous]

Saarinen just did not anticipate the widespread use of jet bridges.

Moon buggies that took one directly to/from the aircraft door were much better than walking on the tarmac to stairs mounted on the back of a pickup truck chassis. (Yes, that was a thing many places.)

[Anonymous]

I've always hated those things.

I hate that you enter and exit through the same door, so people (who have ridden them before and know) step inside and then wait right in the entrance, instead of going all the way back.

[Anonymous]

Please can we just let these stupid things die now? They’re a scourge and an embarrassment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Saarinen just did not anticipate the widespread use of jet bridges.

Moon buggies that took one directly to/from the aircraft door were much better than walking on the tarmac to stairs mounted on the back of a pickup truck chassis. (Yes, that was a thing many places.)

That old cartoon in the link actually explained that his vision went beyond “not anticipating jet bridges” - he proposed that passengers did not have to walk to any gates at all (and jet bridges still require tons of gates), just go to the departures hall (the one that we all go to when we leave from Dulles), and from there you go directly to your plane on a “mobile lounge”. And you can still see all that infrastructure in the departures hall with the row of old empty docks - always reminds me of the old Disney’s Tomorrowland: interesting “vision” but so, so impractical and wrong.

And the combination movable stair and a bus is still in use around the world, and I agree I would take Saarinen’s people movers over that any day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please can we just let these stupid things die now? They’re a scourge and an embarrassment.

In today’s news about the accident they mentioned that Trump’s people want to do just that and that is one thing I think we can all agree on. That would be the second positive travel improvement (the first one is that we don’t have to remove our shoes - finally!!!) and if they do that, they can rename it Trump International for all I care - very fitting name for this 1960s antiquated monstrosity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please can we just let these stupid things die now? They’re a scourge and an embarrassment.

In today’s news about the accident they mentioned that Trump’s people want to do just that and that is one thing I think we can all agree on. That would be the second positive travel improvement (the first one is that we don’t have to remove our shoes - finally!!!) and if they do that, they can rename it Trump International for all I care - very fitting name for this 1960s antiquated monstrosity.

You do realize there is a process for this kind of thing, right? It's not just "get rid of that thing"? 25 million people move through Dulles every year, you need to come up with replacements, which take years and years. In fact, there is a planning process to do exactly that going in right now, and a part of it is under construction and opening next year.

https://www.flydulles.com/about-airport/master-plan/dulles-international-airport-master-plan

Just because that yahoo says some random thing, it doesn't mean he is the first one to think of it, or that others aren't hard at work on that very thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've always hated those things.

I hate that you enter and exit through the same door, so people (who have ridden them before and know) step inside and then wait right in the entrance, instead of going all the way back.

Yeah, this is a thing. It doesn’t bother me when I’m going from terminal to the gates, but getting off an international flight, this is a real issue.

For going from gates to C/D terminal the train is an option over the mobile “lounge.” It is a bit of a hike to the D gates, so this might not be the best option for all.

I like Dulles. From its iconic main terminal building and the fact you can almost anywhere in the world, it’s a great airport. While it’s a great sirport, it’s also an outdated mess. C/D is a dump and getting to those gates, mostly C is a mess. I know there is a plan to fix this, but it’s many years too late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please can we just let these stupid things die now? They’re a scourge and an embarrassment.

In today’s news about the accident they mentioned that Trump’s people want to do just that and that is one thing I think we can all agree on. That would be the second positive travel improvement (the first one is that we don’t have to remove our shoes - finally!!!) and if they do that, they can rename it Trump International for all I care - very fitting name for this 1960s antiquated monstrosity.

This is my problem With MAGA. Do you think “his people” are the first ever to think about updating the system? How absurd. There have been so many proposals over the years to replace the people movers. It’s a billion dollar project.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"mobile lounge ".

What a name

Well, that was a part of Saarinen’s 1950s vision of the “airport of the future” - they were originally designed to take passengers directly from check-in counters to their plane in a “relaxing atmosphere of a lounge”. You can still see all the original docking areas right behind the airlines’ counters - but that was decades before all the screening we have to go through today. Good summary here: https://www.ashburnmagazine.com/features/mobile-lounges-are-a-unique-part-of-dulles-internationals-past/

It seems like OP was going to their domestic flight - still awful but initially I was thinking it happened after deplaning from a transatlantic flight (the only time when I use them), that would have been a terrible “welcome to America” after an exhausting long flight.

Hope OP does not have any serious issues from the accident and will be compensated for the stress and inconvenience.

I think about this all the time. Even if they don't crash, they are terrible "welcome to America" experiences, right! Also the crap bathrooms all airports seem to have in Luggage level. So dismal. With the crap vending machines. Not to mention the filthy customs halls in Newark, Philly, Dulles, east coast etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please can we just let these stupid things die now? They’re a scourge and an embarrassment.

In today’s news about the accident they mentioned that Trump’s people want to do just that and that is one thing I think we can all agree on. That would be the second positive travel improvement (the first one is that we don’t have to remove our shoes - finally!!!) and if they do that, they can rename it Trump International for all I care - very fitting name for this 1960s antiquated monstrosity.

This is my problem With MAGA. Do you think “his people” are the first ever to think about updating the system? How absurd. There have been so many proposals over the years to replace the people movers. It’s a billion dollar project.

Trump said he wanted to get rid of Daylight Saving time too. Once again, a concept of a plan.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

I wonder if a middle ground is not to have them so packed. That is the absolute worse after a long flight to have to cram in there. If they were like 50% full they would be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if a middle ground is not to have them so packed. That is the absolute worse after a long flight to have to cram in there. If they were like 50% full they would be fine.

Please let us know how quickly you can source double the number of vehicles and the staff to operate them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if a middle ground is not to have them so packed. That is the absolute worse after a long flight to have to cram in there. If they were like 50% full they would be fine.

Please let us know how quickly you can source double the number of vehicles and the staff to operate them.

Last long haul flight we came off was a packed 777. Took 25 minutes to clear the boarding area just after we exited the plane, because there was no vehicle immediately available, and it took 3 of them to unload everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if a middle ground is not to have them so packed. That is the absolute worse after a long flight to have to cram in there. If they were like 50% full they would be fine.

Please let us know how quickly you can source double the number of vehicles and the staff to operate them.

Last long haul flight we came off was a packed 777. Took 25 minutes to clear the boarding area just after we exited the plane, because there was no vehicle immediately available, and it took 3 of them to unload everyone.

This. It’s the worst way to return from abroad. Then, even if you have GE, you have to wait an eternity for your luggage.