The Future of Dulles Airport [and Metro line]
#46
Join Date: Mar 2005
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"passenger is able to walk but unable to ascend or descend stairs".
It is one of several categories of people whose mobility is challenged and who request assistance in getting all or part of the way to the plane.
(You could have researched this yourself, to be quite honest, isn't it?).
At FRA, at the type of gates you mention, the helpful assistant who comes to collect a WCHS passenger from the plane, usually with a wheelchair, will accompany the passenger in this elevator, using a key issued to that assistant, and then continue to take the passenger to the connecting gate or exit or transit lounge.
In my experience, when asked politely and respectfully, that assistant will usually allow another passenger who is unable to take the stairs but has not requested assistance prior to travel, to come along. However, the assistant is within her/his rights to decline such a request.
Paul
#47
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: south of WAS DC
Posts: 10,131
A 'WHCS' is a typo for 'WCHS' meaning
"passenger is able to walk but unable to ascend or descend stairs".
It is one of several categories of people whose mobility is challenged and who request assistance in getting all or part of the way to the plane.
(You could have researched this yourself, to be quite honest, isn't it?).
At FRA, at the type of gates you mention, the helpful assistant who comes to collect a WCHS passenger from the plane, usually with a wheelchair, will accompany the passenger in this elevator, using a key issued to that assistant, and then continue to take the passenger to the connecting gate or exit or transit lounge.
In my experience, when asked politely and respectfully, that assistant will usually allow another passenger who is unable to take the stairs but has not requested assistance prior to travel, to come along. However, the assistant is within her/his rights to decline such a request.
Paul
"passenger is able to walk but unable to ascend or descend stairs".
It is one of several categories of people whose mobility is challenged and who request assistance in getting all or part of the way to the plane.
(You could have researched this yourself, to be quite honest, isn't it?).
At FRA, at the type of gates you mention, the helpful assistant who comes to collect a WCHS passenger from the plane, usually with a wheelchair, will accompany the passenger in this elevator, using a key issued to that assistant, and then continue to take the passenger to the connecting gate or exit or transit lounge.
In my experience, when asked politely and respectfully, that assistant will usually allow another passenger who is unable to take the stairs but has not requested assistance prior to travel, to come along. However, the assistant is within her/his rights to decline such a request.
Paul
how am i supposed to know i will face an up stairway upon exit of plane? how am i supposed to know how to call a whca??whacamacalled at fra? wife and i do both stairs and walking just fine without carron luggage. ad carryon, and 2 flights of stairs , and we have problems. i do not have to call service in any of the 15 or so other major airports i went through last year, or do any stairs other than 2 tarmac loadings.
how do i register for a wchs?? i could also use one for the small plane that require tarmac to plane on a ladder with my carryon. how does that work? somebody bring out a forklift?
Last edited by slawecki; Feb 10, 2013 at 8:14 am
#48
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
Plans call for a three-level structure with 44 airline gates and similar amenities to Concourse B. The concourse plan includes a dedicated mezzanine corridor with moving sidewalks to serve international passengers. Design and construction of the new concourse have not yet been scheduled.
http://www.mwaa.com/dulles/783.htm
I think United (perhaps in combo with other *A airlines) needs to pony up the money, or a decent share of it, before such a project would move forward.
#49
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: DCA, IAD (not BWI if I can help it)
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That's exactly the case. MWAA doesn't want to build this on its own, since it would largely function as a palace for UA. And for much of the last decade, UA wasn't in much of a position to make large capital investments. Now that it can, IAD ought to be high on the list.
#50
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,595
That's exactly the case. MWAA doesn't want to build this on its own, since it would largely function as a palace for UA. And for much of the last decade, UA wasn't in much of a position to make large capital investments. Now that it can, IAD ought to be high on the list.
#51
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: south of WAS DC
Posts: 10,131
is it common for the airline to build and pay for the terminal? if ua builds it, and then goes belly up, can ua rent it to the highest bidder, and run it as they see fit? what control does mwaa have if it falls into disrepair? what if the owner ** decides to make a few more bucks by putting a whore house on the second level? puts in gambling?
#52
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Alexandria, Va - National Airport (DCA)
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Who paid for B? I believe it was MWAA because of the many tenants there and they no doubt passed the cost onto them.
UA as the sole C/D occupant can pay now or pay later. What they have at C/D is not sustainable and I think they know that. It's just a question of when reality sets in. The sooner the better for everyone concerned.
UA as the sole C/D occupant can pay now or pay later. What they have at C/D is not sustainable and I think they know that. It's just a question of when reality sets in. The sooner the better for everyone concerned.
Last edited by flyer703; Jul 15, 2013 at 7:27 pm Reason: misc edits
#53
Join Date: May 2012
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is it common for the airline to build and pay for the terminal? if ua builds it, and then goes belly up, can ua rent it to the highest bidder, and run it as they see fit? what control does mwaa have if it falls into disrepair? what if the owner ** decides to make a few more bucks by putting a whore house on the second level? puts in gambling?
Right now Seattle is going through a massive airline shift of gates. Then the N terminal will go to only Alaska where they plan on paying to remodel/refurbish it.
#54
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: DCA, IAD (not BWI if I can help it)
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The airports authority faces a difficult balancing act while it keeps construction projects going steadily at Dulles: matching the expansion to the demands of expansion without exceeding what passengers need or airlines are willing to pay for through service fees. Those fees are passed on to passengers through higher ticket prices.
Oh, and the cost of the first, 17-gate version of the B Concourse? $130 million.
#55
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 25
I work for MWAA and might have some insight into what's going on as far as development plans at IAD. Shoot me questions in replies below and I'll see if I can give you all some answers.
I recently read an internal report that the earliest any expected movement on C/D would be sometime around 2017. This is right when DCMP Phase II is supposed to finish up (unrelated) and what their talks with UAL have yielded. Back in 2011 MWAA formed a new business team exclusively to talk to UAL about making C/D move forward. They also have plans for the first phase of Tier III (Concourses E/F) to be built soon, possibly at the same time as C/D to give some operational flexibility while the move is going on. There is already a shell of a station for the APM east of the new ATC tower. Concourses E/F would be built in two phases, with the phase east of the ATC tower having piers branching off the south of it to facilitate regional jet activity. There would also be room to install sterile corridors on the north side of it.
Like I said, shoot me questions and hopefully I can give you all some insight.
Oh by the way, it's my first post here. Howdy y'all!
I recently read an internal report that the earliest any expected movement on C/D would be sometime around 2017. This is right when DCMP Phase II is supposed to finish up (unrelated) and what their talks with UAL have yielded. Back in 2011 MWAA formed a new business team exclusively to talk to UAL about making C/D move forward. They also have plans for the first phase of Tier III (Concourses E/F) to be built soon, possibly at the same time as C/D to give some operational flexibility while the move is going on. There is already a shell of a station for the APM east of the new ATC tower. Concourses E/F would be built in two phases, with the phase east of the ATC tower having piers branching off the south of it to facilitate regional jet activity. There would also be room to install sterile corridors on the north side of it.
Like I said, shoot me questions and hopefully I can give you all some insight.
Oh by the way, it's my first post here. Howdy y'all!
Last edited by rodmanlama; Jul 18, 2013 at 8:20 am Reason: Mentioned that it was my first post
#56
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My question is about the Silver Line: How are people supposed to get from the current end stop to the terminal? Is there sufficient infrastructure in place to bring the line all the way to the terminal in the future?
David
#57
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: DCA, IAD (not BWI if I can help it)
Programs: UA 1MM 1K, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Explorist, status-free on AA, AS, B6, DL, WN, Amtrak, etc.
Posts: 1,481
I work for MWAA and might have some insight into what's going on as far as development plans at IAD. Shoot me questions in replies below and I'll see if I can give you all some answers.
I recently read an internal report that the earliest any expected movement on C/D would be sometime around 2017. This is right when DCMP Phase II is supposed to finish up (unrelated) and what their talks with UAL have yielded. Back in 2011 MWAA formed a new business team exclusively to talk to UAL about making C/D move forward. They also have plans for the first phase of Tier III (Concourses E/F) to be built soon, possibly at the same time as C/D to give some operational flexibility while the move is going on. There is already a shell of a station for the APM east of the new ATC tower. Concourses E/F would be built in two phases, with the phase east of the ATC tower having piers branching off the south of it to facilitate regional jet activity. There would also be room to install sterile corridors on the north side of it.
Like I said, shoot me questions and hopefully I can give you all some insight.
Oh by the way, it's my first post here. Howdy y'all!
I recently read an internal report that the earliest any expected movement on C/D would be sometime around 2017. This is right when DCMP Phase II is supposed to finish up (unrelated) and what their talks with UAL have yielded. Back in 2011 MWAA formed a new business team exclusively to talk to UAL about making C/D move forward. They also have plans for the first phase of Tier III (Concourses E/F) to be built soon, possibly at the same time as C/D to give some operational flexibility while the move is going on. There is already a shell of a station for the APM east of the new ATC tower. Concourses E/F would be built in two phases, with the phase east of the ATC tower having piers branching off the south of it to facilitate regional jet activity. There would also be room to install sterile corridors on the north side of it.
Like I said, shoot me questions and hopefully I can give you all some insight.
Oh by the way, it's my first post here. Howdy y'all!
So if there's a funding hangup for a new C/D, where would the money come from for E/F? And by "shell of a station," are you not referring to the existing "C" concourse Aerotrain stop, but one beyond it? If so, that looks like another chunk of change.
Last edited by DCA writer; Jul 18, 2013 at 4:27 pm Reason: Realized I might have read one detail incorrectly.
#58
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,595
IIRC the Silver line will end adjacent to the covered parking garage across from the Main Terminal, with elevator access to the underground walkway connecting it to the MT. It isn't that long of a walk, and there are already moveable sidewalks. They also run a shuttle bus from that parking garage to the MT.
#59
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 18
IIRC the Silver line will end adjacent to the covered parking garage across from the Main Terminal, with elevator access to the underground walkway connecting it to the MT. It isn't that long of a walk, and there are already moveable sidewalks. They also run a shuttle bus from that parking garage to the MT.
#60
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 369
IIRC the Silver line will end adjacent to the covered parking garage across from the Main Terminal, with elevator access to the underground walkway connecting it to the MT. It isn't that long of a walk, and there are already moveable sidewalks. They also run a shuttle bus from that parking garage to the MT.