FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - United First Class with the Pre-Merger 757-200s of United Airlines FLL-ORD-IAD-FLL
Old May 5, 2014, 7:54 pm
  #5  
LPDAL
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Programs: IAMAW Local 368/HAL 2 Star Mariner
Posts: 740
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WASHINGTON D.C. - DULLES AIRPORT
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As soon as I left the United Club I quickly was building an idea about this airport. Barely any windows and the ones that were there were very tiny, the ceilings were low, and the terminal was so crowded that it was very hard to walk through. I decided to catch a welcome reprieve in thee nearest United Club I could find. I then discovered that Dulles has a very intresting international terminal- B747-8s, A346s, A330s. But not only that, United shows its regional turboprop arm at the far end of Concourse A, with the Saab 340s of Silver Airways, Q400s, and Dash 8s. I had only a couple of hours before my flight and was very hungry, so I decided to grab a quick bite to eat in the Concourse C United Club and spend the rest of the time exploring Dulles Airport.


As soon as I took this picture of the United Club entrance, I was bumped by someone not looking where they were going. This terminal is quickly getting on my nerves....



Thankfully, the United Club is quiet and with large windows. Totally worth the $50 cost of a day pass, and here we see Aeroflot 767-300 VP-BDI being pushed back.


Air France A388 F-HPJI



Look at all the props! Saab 340s, Bombardier Q400s, DeHavilland Dash-8s (background), the only thing that is really missing from this scene is the United B1900s that I saw in CLE, which were unfortunately retired in April.


Speaking of Beechcraft, a King Air lands in the distance.


Looks like my flight back to FLL is on time, thank goodness!



This United club adds freshly baked cookies and snack mix to the ring of food offered. For this one night I pig out and enjoy the snacks.


The ground-level sitting area.


Outside the ground-level window we have a couple of UAX Embraer ERJ-145s lined up.

Once I had enough food and beverages to satisfy my inherent hunger, I ventured out into the madhouse terminal again on the UA club agent's advice to take the train to get to the international terminal. However, I discover that the "trains" are not actually trains at all-rather, they are these massive 4x4-wheeled moon buggies called the "driving lounges!" I was previously under the impression that these had been retired, I guess I was wrong. We drove down the central taxiways between the terminals, providing excellent spotting views as the vehciele has humongous windows and is very high off the ground. In no time at all, I was stepping off the buggy and into the international terminal.

In the international terminal I stumbled upon a mini-Smithsonian Musuem store and immediately sauntered inside. They had a large collection of aviation toys, models, books, clothing, and just about anything you can imagine. I, however, was most interested in the SkyMarks Snap Together Airliners wall. I bought a Fedex MD-11 and an AA Oneworld-livery 777, along with four packs of Astronaut Ice cream, which is my favorite candy. I also got a free mother's day gift for spending exactly $100 and was soon on my way back to the moon buggy to take back to the gate where my flight would be departing. I elected to walk instead of taking the people movers, as I figure exercise never hurts.


A rainbow block glass sculpture leads you in the direction of the "trains".



The moon buggies.


The interior or lounge, as they call it.



A 717-200, N989AT, and ERJ-145, N258JQ, make up the grand tota of two Delta aircraft at IAD.


Lufthansa B747-8 Intercontinental D-ABYF



Over at the International Terminal, the Smithsonian Family Store with its aviation section.



Back onto the moon buggy.


Glad to see this Fedex MD-11 taxiing by as we crawl to the terminal.


United Boeing 767-300 legacy N665UA


We stop and let an impressive Saudi A340-600 pass by us before continuing.


Checking the seat map for my flight home. Looks relatively empty compared to the full flights before.


My ride for the final flight home, United legacy Boeing 757-200 N521UA.

I hung out in the United Club for 20 more minutes, and at 6:20 PM EST headed to Gate C23 to board my flight back to Fort Lauderdale.
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