Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is famous for using curious, bus-like vehicles to transport groups of passengers from place to place within the boundaries of the airfield. Known as ‘mobile lounges,’ these vehicles look somewhat out of place at a major hub like Dulles in today’s modern commercial aviation industry, but they have helped to set the airport apart over the years, winning countless admirers in the process.
Unfortunately, yesterday afternoon, one of these mobile lounges was involved in an incident that saw it crash into a building at Washington Dulles International Airport. While the impact of this collision has not proven to have been life-threatening to any of its occupants, 18 were taken to hospital for treatment.
What Happened?
According to reporting by the BBC, the accident occurred yesterday afternoon at 16:30 local time, just before the evening rush at the Virginia hub. The vehicle was reportedly in the process of transporting passengers from the airport’s ‘D’ concourse at the time of its collision, which saw it crash into a dock. The Independent adds that, per an airport spokesperson, the mobile lounge crashed “at an angle as it was pulling up to the building.”
The mobile lounges can carry more than 100 people onboard, although the exact number of occupants at the time of yesterday’s accident remains unknown. However, what has become clear is that, while not life-threatening, passengers did require treatment for injuries sustained in the crash, with at least 18 being sent to local hospitals. Commenting on the incident, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said that:
“Passengers deboarded the mobile lounge via stairs. They [were] evaluated by Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Fire & Rescue personnel for possible injuries. (…) The airport is open and operating as normal.”
Mobile Lounges In A Nutshell
Readers who are not familiar with the ins and outs of ground passenger transportation at Washington Dulles International Airport might be amused to see that such vehicles are still used to ferry guests back and forth. According to the airport’s website, they date back as far as the 1960s, when they were used to shuttle travelers to their aircraft. This service was unique to Dulles, and reduced the amount of walking required for guests.
Dulles Airport also has a fleet of second-generation ‘Plane Mate’ mobile lounges. The advantage of these vehicles is that they remove the need for stairs at remote stands. Indeed, while many of us will be familiar with bus gates, these typically require passengers to do the last bit of the journey themselves by walking up to the plane. Contrastingly, plane mates are designed to drive right up to an aircraft’s front door, providing level boarding.
The website of Washington Dulles International Airport explains that its mobile lounges were “designed by the Chrysler Corporation in association with the Budd Company.” Dimensionally speaking, they are 54 feet (16.46 meters) long, 16 feet (4.88 meters) wide, 17.5 feet (5.33 meters) high, and weigh 76,500 pounds (34,600 kg). Dulles Airport’s mobile lounges have a reported capacity of 102 passengers, of which 71 can be seated and 31 stand.
Recently Overhauled
Despite being on the older side and something of a divisive concept, there still seems to be plenty of life left in Washington Dulles International Airport’s mobile lounges, and fans of the vehicles will be hoping that yesterday’s accident won’t do anything to harm their long-term prospects. Earlier this year, FFX Now reported that, according to airport officials, mobile lounges remain critical to Dulles, and will remain operational for 15-20 years.
This projection is supported by the fact that these vehicles have recently been the subject of a multi-million dollar refresh program. Back in 2023, it was reported that the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority had approved a full overhaul of its mobile lounge fleet, which would be carried out in partnership with the design company, Brookville Equipment Corporation. This will keep them active while the AeroTrain is extended to Concourse D.