What the hell is a mobile lounge?

As we're only a few weeks away from our trip to DC I've been genning up on a few things as you do. I hate arriving somewhere without having some basic information on what to do and where to go.

Anyway I've been looking at IAD and what happens when you arrive etc. and it seems that you have to get on a 'mobile lounge' to get to the main terminal. Now I've looked at the IAD website and read all the TRs I could see on here but I'm still unsure how these things operate. Is it a bus or a monorail or something else?

Can anyone give me a heads up and of course any tips to speed us through immigration would be most welcome.

Thanks

Miopyk[8D]

[Darren Wheeler]

One of these things - Link to wikipedia.

Apparently they are almost universally hated.









Edit by mod to shorten link .........Nick

Best tip I can give you is to stay close to the door you get on at and don't be tempted to go to the other end of the 'lounge'.

Thats because they reverse out of the infield terminals but drive into the main one so you'll be one of the first off and hence had an advantage at immegration etc.

They are building some sort of underground system to replace them so enjoy an little anacronism from a bye-gone day before they are lost.

I've got some hints and tips for a trip to DC - PM me your email and I'll send them to you

[Nottingham Nick]

Agree with tontybear about staying near the entry door. Problem is, all regular IAD users know this dodge as well. We were there last week. All the UC and most of the PE pax got in the first of these horrible things, but there was a real bottleneck of people who stepped on, and didn't want to move any further. [n]

When we got to 'the other side', there is still a bit of a walk to the Immigration Hall, and we were greeted by a huge queue - we had arrived just behind a Swissair flight, and it took us ages to clear Immigration.

Nick

I found that airport to be a very bizarre experience with it's 'Plane Mates' and 'Mobile Lounges' and had the same experience as Nick with Immigration.

John

Mobile lounge = very clever con trick by salesperson to Dulles airport designers that netted long term revenue.

No other logical reason?