There are only 2 airports in the world that still use mobile lounges – Washington Dulles International Airport in the U.S., and Montréal-Trudeau International Airport in the Canadian province of Quebec. The system was also previously used at Montreal Mirabel International Airport, JFK International Airport’s International Terminal in New York City, Mexico City Airport, Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. There are also variants of the system at Philadelphia Int’l Airport, as well as at Dulles itself, in the form of its Plane Mates.
An idea before its time
Dulles’ mobile lounges have been running since 1962. Because there are so many more passengers than there were 62 years ago, they’re generally only used for some international arrivals. The airport’s AeroTrain has transported the rest of the airport’s passengers between the Main Terminal and the A-, B-, and C-Gates since 2010.
The eventual goal is to phase out Dulles’ mobile lounges once the AeroTrain is a complete loop around the airport. But since the second phase of the AeroTrain’s development isn’t anywhere near starting, Dulles is going to invest money in their mobile lounges and its “younger sibling,” their Plane Mates, to the tune of $143 million.
Plane Mate pic (cropped): dave_7 / flickr / CC BY 2.0
Last summer, the Washington Post reported that the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority’s (MWAA) board of directors had approved the lounges’ overhaul. At the time, Eric Bauserman, the airport’s facilities manager, said that the mobile lounges were, “…kind of like restoring a classic car. Whether it’s been sitting or whether it’s been driven daily, there’s a lot of stuff that has to be addressed. You’ve got to take it down to the frame.”
Take them down to the frames, they will
The contract to Pennslyvania-based Brookville Equipment Corporation. The firm manufactures locomotives and other rail products. The first vehicle (there are 49, all told; 19 mobile lounges and 30 Plane Mates) started its journey to PA in March and April.
Glow up loading! Delaware's not just the first state, but also the first of our mobile lounges & plane mates to be rehabbed. The First Plane Mate made the trip to Brookville, PA after a successful -but precarious- flight from its chassis to a flat bed truck. See you in two years! pic.twitter.com/zH6Qj7tsJa
— Dulles Airport (IAD) (@Dulles_Airport) April 18, 2024
“Mobile lounges and plane mates are important parts of Dulles International Airport’s operations,” said Richard Golinowski, vice president and airport manager at Dulles International Airport, in a press release. “They provide flexibility and increased capacity to move passengers around the airport while offering unique views during the ride. Built in the 60s, it’s time for a major overhaul of these iconic vehicles. We look forward to following the two prototypes through Brookville to Rehabilitate Mobile Lounge and Plane Mate Prototype Vehicles – 2 refurbishment.”
Dulles’ largest carrier, United Airlines, said the vehicles “remain a critical piece of infrastructure at Dulles.”
“We look forward to these iconic vehicles getting an update to ensure they can continue to serve the countless travelers who visit our nation’s capital every year,” the airline said in a statement.
Feature Photo (cropped): Glenn Beltz / flickr / CC BY 2.0
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