BTW, if you just have a bag to check or a quick check-in transaction, the counter downstairs near the walkway to Metro is quite efficient. Rarely anybody there. It's not always open, but if I need to stop on the way in, I like to use that station.

GUWonder... I, too, have hundreds, if not thousands, of flights out of DCA... dating back well before the "temporary" terminal. I've almost always been treated well. My worst experiences, IIRC were gate agents at CVG and DFW, and a check-in person at Manchester, UK.