Future of DCA?
 

Apart form DCA, other aparts still remain closed indefinitely. Do you think these airports will shut down? DCA closing has been discussed in previous years before this but Congress and Senate have always wanted to keep it open. And after the major investment in increasing flights, new terminals and facilities; it seems a major undertaking to close completely.

Will DCA close down? Will it be solely used for government officials? Will only a part of it (terminal B & C) remain open for limited flights? What are your thoughts?



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"Fly me to the moon and let me earn alot of miles."

Opening remark: I dislike the fragmentation of the new FT forum organization. I looked for this topic in all the airport forums and found it not. I'm glad you posted in a frequented forum. Some moderator will say "discipline!" and move it to a deserted forum soon I'm sure.

As to the thread topic, I cannot imagine the government closing DCA before exhausting all possible security improvement ideas... including special point security at airports with flights to DCA. It may be closed for several days or weeks but the trek to IAD or BWI is difficult without high speed rail service. The DCA northern approach is rich with high risk targets but our experts must be able to come up with ideas that will allow it to be a functional airport for all citizens.

As a former resident, and one who would go through all sorts of machinations to avoid flying in/out of there, I wouldn't be terribly displeased to see it go.

It's old, too small, runways too short, and next to impossible to get in or out of with your sanity intact. I'd hope our elected officials
would think of people other than themselves for once and consider closing it. You don't want to restrict it to just gov't business only because then it becomes even more of a target.

Maybe this is a good argument for thinking about commuter VTOL again?

JD

From MSN

I was horrified when the highjackers bombed the World Trade Center but, I was scared when the Pentagon was hit. I sincerely hope DCA wlll remain closed permanently!!!

We all share your feelings... A terrorist attack could hit anytime & any place.

Keeping DCA closed is basically telling the terrorists that we are giving in to you.

Most everyone in the USA has shown their spirit that we are honored to be americans.

DCA needs to be re-opened ASAP so that the Washington economy can be on its way back to normal and the citizens and visitors can begin to get back to normal.

DCA is one of the most convenient airports in the world (as far as being close in to the city)- and we need to keep it that way.

By the way, even if DCA was closed on 9/11, it would not have stopped what happened. So other than the obvious proximity, why is this airport closed? We are being a bit silly here. A plane, or car, or bus, or truck can still hit targets if determined. We are only accelerating (sp) the dive into a recession, or worse.

Sometimes I wonder if those to blame are sitting back and laughing at us and making a list of all the collateral damage that is being caused, by the imperial American people (shutdowns, economy, hassles, etc)

I have heard through various travel industry sources that DCA will be permanently closed. The military wants it as a base.

There are already a couple of bases in the DC area - Andrews AFB, MD, Bolling AFB, DC, Fort Eustis, VA, just to name a few. Any base in the MD/VA area is substantially close enough, and Bolling is just off I-295.

I would hope that DCA is not closed, especially after AS got the SEA-DCA route. It took us forever to get it, and now we're about to lose it, and BWI and IAD don't look too open.

-red_cadet

'It's simple. Put the person thing in the plane thing, and give it the miles things.'

Banning rounded end knives, but not pointed prong metal forks. Banning plastic razors etc. Yes it really does look like knee jerk stuff, much of what has gone on since. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

More on DCA and the spin off effects.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2001Sep21.html

Officials close DCA to public
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2001Sep21.html

Sen Bob Kerrey (former SEAL, I'm not sure of spelling) said on CNN tonight that we should not keep it closed any longer because it is sending a bad signal. He suggested that, if cognizant US authorities could not figure it out without a study, El Al or Mayor Guiliani could figure out quickly how to reopen it safely.

FWIW United's new timetable has flights into DCA starting up on 9/30...

9/30 is just a guess. UA has no idea when the airport will reopen. Their last interim timetable showed flights starting up 9/26. The only statement you can make with some certainty is that there definitely will not be UA flights prior to 9/30.

One terminal at DCA has been open according to the Sunday edition of the Washington Post. Ironically, it is temporary unemployment office for the state of Virginia. This does not sound too good. Let's hope to hear good news by tomorrow about opening for flights.

More on DCA....
http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp...fney092801.htm

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"Fly me to the moon and let me earn alot of miles."

White House Is Close to a Decision On the Future of Reagan Airport

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is nearing a decision on the future of Reagan National Airport, with several advisers and the president himself apparently favoring a reopening, but some security officials raising concerns in opposition.

The airport, located just minutes from the White House, Pentagon and Capitol Hill, got a show of support Sunday from White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, who said President Bush wanted it reopened, and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who said he, too, hoped it would reopen after ground security is tightened.

"We want to do what is right rather than do it fast. And so we'll be working to address the challenge," Mr. Card said on Fox News television. "I'm confident that we can address the challenge and that Ronald Reagan Airport will be open. The question is how quickly and under what circumstances."

Even if the airport is reopened, supporters of such a move say it would probably be done gradually, with restrictions on flight patterns around the facility that sits across the Potomac River in northern Virginia. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said the administration also might require new security measures, such as stationing armed air marshals on every flight into and out of the airport.

The administration is expected to announce a decision on the airport's future as early as Tuesday. While some of President Bush's advisers, such as Mr. Mineta, have expressed support for reopening National, others may be resisting the move out of concern over the airport's proximity to vital government buildings. One such adviser, according to an administration official familiar with the discussions, is the counterterrorism chief of the National Security Council, Richard Clarke. Mr. Clarke couldn't be reached for comment.

http://interactive.wsj.com/articles/...3285324160.htm

MSNBC just reported that the President will announce plans to open DCA tomorrow. The report indicated that in addition to the security upgrades now in effect at other airports special attention would be paid to the flight paths over sensitive areas.

Anyone who regularly flys into DCA knows that it is impossible to not fly close to senstive areas on the northern approach. (The CIA and the Pentagon to the west and DC including the White House, State Department, monuments etc. to the east)

I hope that they do not think the can run all operations from the south.

This Post article indicates things will start up slowly, with quite limited service. Shuttles and hubs first, though no mention of which hubs.

Nor any mention if longish flights will resume.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2001Oct1.html

Thusday!!!!

Limited schedule, but gearing up on Thursday. Just announced by Bush.

According to Bush: "Ticket counters and airplanes will fly again on Thursday".

I want to see that http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I guess the reason it took so long to make an announcement about DCA is that figuring out how to make those ticket counters fly needed some research.

It wasn't the flying the counters thing that needed research, but whether they would have an air marshal on board.

The Post has some info about the sloooow process to reopen DCA---but nothing on those flying ticket counters. Maybe in the late edition.

In short: the airport will be open as early as Thursday, but considering that all the staff has to be recalled and new security measures started up, there might not be much flying.

The shuttles first, followed by LIMITED flights to other hubs. Those will start when all the new security is running---which could be thursday.

read it all: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2001Oct2.html

There's also a live Q & A til 2 at:
http://discuss.washingtonpost.com/wp...chefer1002.htm

It'll be archived, too.

This is exciting --- I welcome the flights to/from DCA and look forward to watching them from my downtown DC office!

As far as I can tell from the news, DCA security is going to cost taxpayers a bundle.

Why can't politicians travel like the rest of us -- have to drive 30 minutes to 1 hour to go to airports like JFK, ORD, DFW, LAX, SFO etc? What's so wrong with IAD and BWI, except that it's an inconvenience? And why is Meigs field in Chicago still closed?

Sorry for the rant.

I just spoke with folks at both US and CO about upcoming flights. They both indicated they may NOT be ready to fly to all locales on Thursday.

The shuttle is probably OK, but other cities may be a few days later. They've got to get the planes back to town, have to recall all the laid off workers and, the biggest deal: the upgraded security has to be in place.

I still cannot understand for the life of me the obsession of some about DCA being Congress members' airport -- like they are the only ones who use it!

I lived 3 years in MD and frequently travel to the area, and do anything that I can or need to in order avoid the crap hole that is IAD or BWI.

DCA is convenient to residents of DC and its suburbs, it's a great facility, and it should reopen to 100% or close to it -- this 24% followed by 57% is total bs.

Well, now I am ranting, so I'll stop I guess.

This is NOT about the politicians airport. They just happen to be heavy users. Get over that part. When they are either at home or in session, who are all those people flying everyday?

The flying public has been shafted with this delay. And let's get real, it is not really open yet. All these new rules. Like one carry on - what good does that do? Or lots of ID checking - better get your fake ones. Or special crews that must fly these planes, or special security at the other end. Only a few airports can even send flights there.

This is overkill. I have thought very highly of our leader...until he let this happen. I had thought all along that he was busy with other things and the spineless gov't types were running scared and that once George W. stepped in, all would be fine.

The Government has just come out and told America that the airports are not safe.

By the way, I think they are as safe as you can expect right now, and have taken 6 flights since this thing started.

I think the extra security at National and the airports that will send planes to National is a mixed message because it says that security is Ok if not going to DCA but you need extra security if a plane is going to National. So if security is not good enough for National why is it good enough for the rest of the airports and public.

Even thought I think most of the new security is more for public show (evidenced by the quick return to curb side check in), why isn't the stricter security everywhere. Also why are air crews going to specially screened. Some pilots are more American than others? Does this mean they just go back and forth between DCA and their designated airport? Lots of questions that are raised.