LeGauche

The walks at Dulles are not bad? Have you not had to walk to a gate in the vicinity of A1, C1, D1, or D32? Have mercy.

You want to go where?

It seems that despite your handle, you have not spent enough time at CDG. I recommend it as an opportunity to improve your cardio health and prepare you for IAD, a much more compact and efficient airport.

IADDCA

I was surprised to find myself going to gate D29 in order to get to the UAL flight to SFO. I always thought that this no-mans-land was supposed to be AA territory. I haven't even thought about using AA for the past four years because I have been flying mostly to Denver and SFO and couldn't stand that thought of doing a transfer at DFW or flying in the back rows of an MD-80.

Now that my Premier status has been reset (only 24k miles last year) I really don't have too much to lose if I suddenly start going with another airline. With the tickets that I've already purchased, I'm easily going to reach 25k this year. But why?

When United started swapping gates at Dulles after the merger, why didn't it keep the Continental gates? If they are monopolizing this airport, it seems like they could muscle everyone out of terminals A/B. This terminal is a dump. Why am I here?

For those who are asking, it will be at least ten years before metro makes its way out here. If it takes United just as long to fix up their gates out here, I'm already looking at other options.

Has American Airlines finally decided to stop forcing people to drink Pepsi at DFW airport?

14940674

At least ten seems a tad pessimistic. The Silver Line should be complete several years before 2022.

scubadiver

Even if Metro ever makes it to IAD, it will be useless for NVA residents. Where ya gonna' park? I can just imagine schlepping 80 pounds of scuba gear on foot the mile from my house to the Whiele Metro. I'm 70 fer cryeye! Taxi to Metro? Nah, once in the taxi I'd go to the airport.

Security at IAD has not been so bad for me. I have TWICE shown up with contraband in my carry-on. They were cool and professional. On my way in minutes.

Lounge access sucks though. Priority Pass lounges are pretty lame.

+1 on the long walks. Me bride's handicap tag isn't a decoration. The long hikes are pretty demanding.

You want to go where?

Well, not everyone traveling from NoVa is 70 toting 80. I would think that International business travelers will walk directly from their hotel in Crystal City/Rosslyn to the metro and be on their way.

slawecki

i'm 75, for what that's worth. what do scuba divers now carry that gets weight up to 80 lbs?

at bcn a few weeks ago, after a pretty long treck, "gate c13 ten minute walk" vie is small, but the gates are in left field. got out of the plane at fra couple months ago, and faced 26 steps(2 flights) with full carryon luggage..

the metro completion is unfunded, and va refuses to even look for the money. looks like another cyclotron tunnel coming up.

am1108

Here are some renderings of the new C/D terminal at Dulles,

http://www.degezelle.eu/en_public_buildings.html

http://www.pgal.com/portfolio/washin...rt-tier-2-mid/

http://www.kpf.com/project.asp?R=1&ID=60

It looks like it will be a nice terminal, and they seem to be moving towards trying to make it a reality, although I think it won't happen for another decade or two because no one wants to pay for it... unless they raise the tolls on 267

slawecki

the koch bros have started an auto call telling all in loudin county not to contribute tax money to the completion of the silver line. the call claims "it will be built anyway." welcome to the new rules with unlimited corporate money into political campaigns. will be lucky to get it by 2012, with a loudin county funding boycott.

spoke to someone who lives in the county yesterday. he said he gets about 5 calls a day from the pac. they tell him to vote no for the tax increase, as the line is being built without county money.

bsu4phd

What the latest on the Aerotrain underground station, and access to the C/D terminals & future (F?) terminals?

Some posts say that the station was supposed to split the distance between the C/D terminals & future F terminals. To save money only one station was built. But even now the walk from the station to the C/D terminal is super long.

Other post say that a new C/D terminal will be built over the current station location.

Thanks in advance, Marc

gailwynand

The C/D terminal is allegedly "temporary" and a new one will supposedly be built over the current station. But the C/D terminal has been "temporary" since 1980, so you can draw your own conclusions on the odds of construction starting any time soon.

14940674

I am almost certain that the new concourse will be over the station. Vertical elements that will connect the station to the concourse have already been built. Also, there is no need to build the new concourse even farther from A/B.

PaulRO

True, this is part of the apparent brutality of FRA. But at such gates, there is normally an elevator, with key access to designated staff. It is here that we WHCS are taken, often (on the less brutal days). Often on such days, the assistant allows polite people, like you, who ask properly, to join us.

slawecki

i'm still 75. still no operator at the elevator. no idea what a whcs is. same step count.

You want to go where?

Well, they finally got rid of the Navy Annex in South Arlington which was built 70 years ago as a 'temporary' structure. Given that as a benchmark, we should expect the new C/D terminal in 2050.