marlin

Flight scheduled to arrive at 7:35 PM. Trying to budget what time I need to be there for a pickup. Flight is today if that matters. Thanks! Also, where does one wait for them?

pinkcat

months

it can take a while, faster for US passport holders though, you can see the baggage carousel just at the end of immigration
someone else might have had better luck and be through in a matter of minutes but I have always had a slow experience.
When you get on the mobile lounge dont walk to the back, get on, sit down or you will be last off

Macspreader

Took us about an hour back in July, and we were in F, so at the start of the queue.

kered

Immigration at IAD can vary wildly.

I’ve waited for nearly 2 ˝ hours & another time have been through in 20 mins ^

Fraser

As someone who uses IAD regularly and has taken the whole gamut of flights BA offer it depends on the time of day.

The 293 is the one I use most regularly and arrives around that time (The 265 was an early afternoon arrival during the summer schedule) and more often than not is the only flight in immigration but you might come across a late arrival. More often than not my bags have beaten me to the carousel (even using the US line and being first off the mobile lounges).

I've never had to wait 2 1/2hrs in my dozens of arrivals there, even when arriving in the early afternoon block of European arrivals.

I can't emphasise this enough so will capitalise it. DO NOT WALK TO THE BACK OF THE MOBILE LOUNGE. You might have to fight for your space as the drivers are keen to move everyone out of the doorway into the seating area. Do not budge

On a random note does anyone know what this IAD bound flight is, BA5W? Air Force Brown that seems to be running daily for the last few days?
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/BAW5W

bazzatel

I'd agree with kered. I fly this route every quarter and it's really hard to predict, depending on the timekeeping of other flights arriving at the same time.

But if a car is picking you up on the other side you should just give them your scheduled arrival time and let them worry about what time to be there (in my experience they will almost always wait) - in short, it is the chauffeur's problem not yours

Fraser

I wish my wife was like that. Always feckin' late

marlin

Thanks for the advice, I AM the chauffeur, that's why I'm asking.

kered

To be fair the 2 ˝ hour marathon was a one off that I used to indicate one end of the “wait spectrum” I’ve endured at IAD.

I’ll never forget it, the immigration hall was jammed solid, with the lines beginning as we got off the Mobile Lounge. The “barkers” were shuffling people around from one line to another in order to get us off the Mobile Lounge & into the hall.

Pure hell

pinkcat

I am surprised more people dont keel over and faint , my son did and we got moved further back in the queue for his trouble!

Fraser

Well there is a cellphone parking lot so you could wait for a call there (the person picking you up will have to wait until they've cleared immigration and customs to call you though) or you could wait somewhere nearby.

My parents were on a flight that arrived late a few years ago and the immigration hall was so full they weren't letting anyone off the lounges apart from US citizens and permanent residents. They said it did clear very quickly though and suspected it was because they'd not got all their immigration officers out yet.

gonesouth

Not long back from Dulles. I was through immigration pretty quick (less than 20 mins), front row of WTP using the non-US lines. Still had to wait 45 minutes at the carousel for bags.

FWIW - The TSA official told me that there was a "new" diplomatic channel for anyone with an A1, A2 or A3 visa (government official/employee).

Globaliser

The easiest way to do this is to remain in your seat and watch everyone else queue and shuffle their way off the aircraft. Stay in your seat. Then stay in your seat some more. When the cabin crew come and physically pick you up and throw you off the aircraft and into the mobile lounge, you will be in the perfect position to be first into the immigration queue. The cabin crew will know exactly what you're up to. And all the other passengers who think you're nuts as they file past you ... you will have the last laugh.

Fraser

I guess I'm the opposite of this and try to be one of the first onto the mobile lounge. Most of the time I've seen that the last few people who get on the lounge get told to stand or sit (if any seats left) in the back. Sometimes you'll get lucky and will be perched right by the exit doors but it is a riskier strategy than being one of the first off.

Teece

Another IAD question - I'm probably going to tack on a visit to see some family in DC on my next BOS trip. B6 appear to be the best way to do IAD/BOS - I guess there's no way to avail myself of the Terraces at IAD, with B6 departing from the B gates?