The last fifteen times I have flown from Washington Dulles Airport I have found myself frustrated when I overheard people bad mouthing the people mover lounges. Most of you will probably have seen these but in case you haven't let me explain. These bus-like devices look like space era shuttles that rise and lower maybe as much as 10-15 feet off the ground. For the past 15 years they go back and forth between the main terminal and a really dumb temporary-feeling building that sits in the middle of what used to be a landing strip. For doing that they are truly cumbersome and clumsy. But here's the deal, people. When Dulles opened in the mid-1960s this is how travel was done at Dulles, which was by far the most sophisticated airport I ever saw in those days. (And I was traveling all over the world.) We would drive up in front of the terminal and get of the car directly in front of the Pan Am checkin. We would walk about 20 feet to the checkin desk and then go around behind it another 20 feet to the - are you getting this? - the actual GATE. Through the gate onto the people mover lounge which then took us directly to the DOOR OF THE AIRPLANE. One lounge to the First Class cabin and others to the rear of the plane. The lounge would then rise up until level with the entrance to the plane. How convenient, comfortable, cool, and sophisticated is that?
(I won't even go into the details of how nice flying was in the "good old days". First class was champagne, caviar, lobster, linen table cloths etc. Plus the attendants were actually nice and well-behaved. Today flying is what riding a bus was like in the 1950s.)
When I was 30, I could go from car to airplane in about 50-60 steps. Today when I have arthritis etc., I have to make my way about three miles from the car to the plane. And having a moving train (which actually broke down the first week it was operating) is not nearly as convenient or comfortable for old farts.
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