Dulles mobile lounges, once slated for retirement, getting makeover
After more than a half-century in service, Dulles International Airport's distinctive mobile lounges - once slated for retirement - are getting a makeover that solidifies their presence for the long term.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority's board of directors gave final approval Wednesday for a $16.4 million contract to begin an overhaul of the airport's mobile lounges.
The cost raised eyebrows among some board members, who questioned why the authority was spending so much to upgrade vehicles that seem more a part of the airport's past than future. But Dulles officials say they think the vehicles will remain a vital part of airport operations for years - and possibly decades.
"The infrastructure to replace the mobile lounge isn't built yet," said Rob Yingling, an airport spokesman. "It's going to take time."
He said that while the renovation price tag is significant, it's also cheaper than building a replacement system to move passengers. For example, the first phase of the airport's Aerotrain system, which opened in 2010, cost $1.3 billion to build.
"It's kind of like restoring a classic car," said Eric Bauserman, the airport's facilities manager. "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."
Classic, indeed.
Not only do they not make mobile lounges like they used to, they don't make those used at Dulles at all. That can create the need for parts and systems that are older than the mechanics and technicians in charge of repairing them. In some cases, Bauserman said, when the airport can't find off-the-shelf components, the items must be custom-made.
Under the terms of the contract with Pennsylvania-based Brookville Equipment, the company will be responsible for overhauling one vehicle each among the two types of vehicles in Dulles's fleet: a mobile lounge and a Plane Mate. When that work is complete, the MWAA will have the option of revamping the rest of the fleet for $143 million over six years.
The mobile lounges, which have flat roofs, can hold up to 120 riders and were built by Chrysler, along with Budd. At the time, they were the largest passenger-carrying, rubber-tired vehicles ever manufactured. A photo from MWAA archives showed that the vehicle's tires were taller than a Volkswagen Beetle. Plane Mates have columns extending above their roofs and can be raised and lowered so it's easier for people to enter and exit aircraft.
Dulles's fleet consists of 19 mobile lounges and 30 Plane Mates. Officials said work on the first two vehicles will serve as a guide, which could lower the cost of upgrading the rest of the fleet.
"These are one-of-a-kind vehicles," Andrew Hascall, the MWAA's vice president of engineering support, said during a board briefing last month. "[Brookville] will do a complete . . . re-engineer and design of essentially what will be a new vehicle likely on the exact same chassis. What we're really paying for there is the prototyping effort and discovery engineering."
The makeover also has the support of the airport's largest carrier, United Airlines, which 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," United said in a statement.
MWAA officials expected years ago that the Aerotrain would eliminate the need for mobile lounges. Although the first phase opened years ago, the second phase of the train system has yet to be built. The airport is undergoing a process to update its master plan, which could include expansion of the Aerotrain system to all concourses.
Mobile lounges have been part of Dulles since the airport opened in 1962. At the time, they were seen as a state-of-the-art addition to one of the first U.S. airports built for the jet age.
The concept, as envisioned by architect Eero Saarinen, was that passengers would be whisked to their flights aboard futuristic vehicles rather than having to trudge across the tarmac and climb a flight of stairs. While going through an old box of papers, Bauserman found a contract that showed the Federal Aviation Administration paid $4.8 million for 20 mobile lounges in the early 1960s.
Bauserman said MWAA officials have discussed phasing out the mobile lounges for decades, only to conclude that the vehicles still play an important role in the airport's ecosystem. The mobile lounges transport millions of people each year, including in 2021, when newly arrived evacuees from Afghanistan were taken from their flights to customs facilities on the Dulles campus.
"It's a very efficient way to move a lot of passengers," Bauserman said. "You can take it virtually anywhere that an aircraft can go. You don't have to worry about the weather. Passengers who are not ambulatory can be wheeled right into the vehicle."
Philadelphia and Montréal-Trudeau international airports also use mobile lounges. From 1975 to 2004, Mirabel International Airport in Montreal used mobile lounges from the terminal to the aircraft until the airport ended passenger operations.
Also on Wednesday, the airports authority board discussed seeking a contract to build a 1,500-space parking garage at Reagan National Airport. The board hopes to have it ready in 2025, according to board documents. The authority also will break ground next month on a solar farm to be built at Dulles.
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