Originally Posted by
AndyPatterson
The article incorrectly says that "the 'D gates' concourse isn't connected by rail" -- well, yes, you can take the train to C and then walk to D (albeit a long walk).
It is a good reminder that each of the 49 lounges "are named after the 50 states, except for Alaska, to avoid confusion with the similarly named airline." You can't tell the name of the lounge from its interior, but you can see the two-letter state abbreviations on the other lounges as you pass by them.
There's this nugget: "Up in the ramp control tower, there are dedicated employees who direct the constant flow of mobile lounges, using analogue strips of paper to keep track of where 'New Jersey' or 'Georgia' might be at any moment" (emphasis added). I hadn't thought about the need for ATC to keep track of the mobile lounges, and certainly not that "analog strips of paper" were being used for that purpose!
After many years/trips through IAD, it was not until recently that I noticed the state abbreviations on the lounges - from a view from the Capital One lounge. All of my lounge adventures had generally been after dark when being transferred to the ICE facility.
Interesting re: the analog paper strips.
I haven't used a lounge to go to D from security for years. I prefer the walk from C to D.