IAD and DCA Airport News and Developments

[shakman]

On June 1, 2012, avaition's first scheduled commerical service of the 747-8 was Lufthansa between IAD - FRA. Hopefully after work I will make my way to IAD to witness Lufthansa's 747-8 rotation. Currently Lufthansa will operate the 747-8 on 6 of the 7 weekly late afternoon departure. The other day will remain as a 744. The early afternoon departure will remain daily utilizing an A330-300.

...and


New United Route:

UNITED W12 New Seasonal East Coast – Colorado/Wyoming Service
by JL
2nd Update at 2000GMT 13JUN12

UNITED in Winter 2012/13 season is adding 2 new routes from East Coast to Colorado and Wyoming, with Washington Dulles – Vail/Eagle and Newark – Jackson Hole operating during Christmas and New Year, as well as Feb/Mar 2013

Reservations for these flights opened after 1200GMT. According to OAG Alerts, these two new routes appeared in the system around 0925GMT.

Schedule:
Newark – Jackson Hole 19DEC12 – 02JAN13 and 09FEB13 – 06APR13
UA1741 EWR0855 – 1141JAC 73G D
UA1741 JAC1230 – 1825EWR 73G D

Service operates daily from 19DEC12 to 02JAN13
From 09FEB13 to 06APR13, service operates on Day 6 only, operational flight number is UA1740

Washington Dulles – Vail/Eagle 22DEC12 – 05JAN13 and 02FEB13 – 30MAR13
UA1289 IAD1225 – 1434EGE 73G 6
UA1289 EGE1520 – 2046IAD 73G 6

[diablo234]

In addition to existing service by TACA, United Airlines is also starting direct service to San Salvador on December 19, using 154-seats Boeing 737-800 jets.

United unveils 10 new routes in plan to bolster its hubs

[shakman]

This past Friday I finally got to see the Lufthansa 747-8 rotate from 1R. Very quite plane. If I were not looking, I would have missed the rotation. My next 747-8 spotting will be a rotation from 30. This will put almost under the flight path.

There is an auto auction lot at the end of 30 which is quite active when the winds are generally from a southern direction. If anyone would like to spot at this location, I recommend notifying the facility's security office in order to avoid being towed.

[shakman]

I noticed a couple of months ago the MWAA flight guide had direct one-stop flights from IAD to Bangkok (BKK). The subsequent months indicatd the same. I confirmed with United Airlines that there are a couple of flights from IAD - BKK with one-stop service, without change of aircraft, at Tokyo-Narita (NRT).

Therefore it is safe to say, United has direct service from IAD to BKK.

I remember United had a similar set-up to Singapore. That flight direct flight went to Newark (EWR) via NRT.

[shakman]

The marriage between AerLingus and United relative to the Madrid service will end on November 1, 2012.

When AerLingus annouced additional service from BOS and JFK, I knew it was just a matter of time.

UNITED / AerLingus Terminates Washington – Madrid Service from Nov 2012

by JL


Update at 1750GMT 31JUL12

UNITED and AerLingus starting 01NOV12 will terminate Washington Dulles – Madrid service, as reservation for this route is closed for travel on/after this date. This route is currently operated by AerLingus Airbus A330-200 aircraft.

Planned Winter 2012/13 schedule:

UA7663 IAD1740 – 0735+1MAD 332 D
UA7662 MAD1045 – 1400IAD 332 D
(Visited 253 times, 253 visits today)

Read more from 2012/13, AerLingus, Star Alliance, UNITED...

[shakman]

Originally Posted by shakman

I noticed a couple of months ago the MWAA flight guide had direct one-stop flights from IAD to Bangkok (BKK). The subsequent months indicatd the same. I confirmed with United Airlines that there are a couple of flights from IAD - BKK with one-stop service, without change of aircraft, at Tokyo-Narita (NRT).

Therefore it is safe to say, United has direct service from IAD to BKK.

I remember United had a similar set-up to Singapore. That flight direct flight went to Newark (EWR) via NRT.

I have learned, loving learning, this service is only temporary. The terminalogy used is "Direct Timetable" .

[jam5]

Been looking over Reagan National on GoogleMaps -is there any likelihood that they can restore the now missing terminals in the old section of the airport? Or is there not enough demand for it? Because except for the one working terminal there, it looks like a wasteland with all that unused space.

[shakman]

Originally Posted by jam5

Been looking over Reagan National on GoogleMaps -is there any likelihood that they can restore the now missing terminals in the old section of the airport? Or is there not enough demand for it? Because except for the one working terminal there, it looks like a wasteland with all that unused space.

I do not think the current master plan calls for any additional terminals. Currently the area, I think you are referencing, is a connector between both Terminal structures and B-Gates for UNITED and Alaska Airlines.

Part of the master plan for DCA calls for the restoration of Terminal A. The 9-gate finger which extends from Terminal A is to be razed. The 9-gates will be distributed along the back of Terminal A; as was the case in the past.

[jam5]

Does anyone think Reagan National could become a regular international (as in beyond our hemisphere) destination for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner? It is a plane I would think would fit in well to the confines of the airport in a way the bigger jumbo jets like the Airbus A380-800 and Boeing 747-400 and newer Boeing 747-8 would never be able to.

Originally Posted by shakman

I do not think the current master plan calls for any additional terminals. Currently the area, I think you are referencing, is a connector between both Terminal structures and B-Gates for UNITED and Alaska Airlines.

Part of the master plan for DCA calls for the restoration of Terminal A. The 9-gate finger which extends from Terminal A is to be razed. The 9-gates will be distributed along the back of Terminal A; as was the case in the past.

Would you happen to have a link to this master plan?

[micrip]

Reagan is not allowed to have international service, is it? Even before Dulles was built, didn't one have to take the shuttle to New York or use Friendship's (now BWI) limited service?

[shakman]

Originally Posted by micrip

Reagan is not allowed to have international service, is it? Even before Dulles was built, didn't one have to take the shuttle to New York or use Friendship's (now BWI) limited service?

DCA does have some international service to pre-cleared destinations.

[diablo234]

Originally Posted by micrip

Reagan is not allowed to have international service, is it? Even before Dulles was built, didn't one have to take the shuttle to New York or use Friendship's (now BWI) limited service?

Reagan does have some international service (mostly to Canada) however since they don't have a US Customs office available, the only international flights that Reagan can recieve are from those countries who have a pre-clearance agreement with the US, such as Aruba, Bermuda, The Bahamas, or Canada, in which passengers must clear US immigration/customs before boarding the plane.

Wikipedia - United States border preclearance

LaGuardia Airport in New York is set up in the same manner as well since they can only recieve international flights from airports with US border preclearance facilities as well.

[jam5]

Originally Posted by shakman

DCA does have some international service to pre-cleared destinations.

You mentioned a master plan -do you have a link to one with information on a renovated A Terminal? All I found was brief snippets of information on the airport website.

[shakman]

Originally Posted by jam5

You mentioned a master plan -do you have a link to one with information on a renovated A Terminal? All I found was brief snippets of information on the airport website.

Interesting... The master plan was in the mwaa website. However,within Terminal A, I did see a aerial image with text of Terminal A's final product.

I do not know why the DCA master plan has been removed from the mwaa website. Though I did find this:

http://archives.californiaaviation.o.../msg25925.html

Since the release of this article, the facade for Terminal A has been renovated.

[jam5]

Originally Posted by shakman

Interesting... The master plan was in the mwaa website. However,within Terminal A, I did see a aerial image with text of Terminal A's final product.

I do not know why the DCA master plan has been removed from the mwaa website. Though I did find this:

http://archives.californiaaviation.o.../msg25925.html

Since the release of this article, the facade for Terminal A has been renovated.

I am checking the date, and the Terminal A facade renovation was completed in 2003. What I don't understand is why they didn't continue by taking away that Gate 1-9 stub and redistribute those gates the way you said they would:



Or is that what they are doing right now? What is going on?

[shakman]

Originally Posted by jam5

I am checking the date, and the Terminal A facade renovation was completed in 2003. What I don't understand is why they didn't continue by taking away that Gate 1-9 stub and redistribute those gates the way you said they would:



Or is that what they are doing right now? What is going on?

If you read the article, via link from my previous post, the 9-gates will be moved though no time was given when this would occur. Various economic reasons were cited for the delay. In addition to the facade restoration, there has been some interior work which has been complete. The main hall of Terminal A been refurbished. Currently the main hall is used for private events. When open to the public, this area is a quite place for wi-fi and an excellent location to view ground operations on the south end of the field. A museum has also been added up the stairs, directly to the north of the main hall. It will be in this main hall where check-in will be relocated from the "banjo". I am not sure of the exact layout of the final product. Though I do look forward for the remainder of this particular part of the master plan to be complete.

I hope I was able to answer your questions.

[jam5]

Originally Posted by shakman

If you read the article, via link from my previous post, the 9-gates will be moved though no time was given when this would occur. Various economic reasons were cited for the delay. In addition to the facade restoration, there has been some interior work which has been complete. The main hall of Terminal A been refurbished. Currently the main hall is used for private events. When open to the public, this area is a quite place for wi-fi and an excellent location to view ground operations on the south end of the field. A museum has also been added up the stairs, directly to the north of the main hall. It will be in this main hall where check-in will be relocated from the "banjo". I am not sure of the exact layout of the final product. Though I do look forward for the remainder of this particular part of the master plan to be complete.

I hope I was able to answer your questions.

Thank you! That was the answer I was more or less looking for -though it would be nice to have a firm date to look forward to for the redistribution of the Terminal A gates, as well as a link to their masterplan which they mysteriously removed. Still if the information isn't there, what can you do?

[shakman]

Copa Airlines will initiate a second daily flight from IAD to PTY commencing December 2012:

http://airlineroute.net/2012/09/05/cm-us-dec12/

[Capital Flyer]

From the Washington Business Journal--

http://www.bizjournals.com/washingto...assengers.html



BWI Marshall Airport on track to beat Dulles International Airport passenger count

Washington Business Journal by Jeff Clabaugh, Broadcast/Web Reporter

Date: Wednesday, September 19, 2012, 12:55pm EDT



BWI/Marshall Airport is on track to top Dulles International Airport for passenger count this year, after an all-time record for passengers in July.


Dulles saw 2,095,237 million passengers pass through its gates in July, down 6 percent from a year ago. BWI had 2,222,329 million passengers, up 0.8 percent. BWI’s passenger count has surpassed Dulles in four out of seven months so far this year and has seen 13.36 million passengers through July, compared to 13.26 million at Dulles.


“BWI has seen steady and consistent growth in recent years and has set a number of records for passenger traffic,” said spokesman Jonathan Dean. “July 2012 was the busiest month in the history of the airport, and 2011 was the busiest year.”


The last time BWI’s monthly passenger traffic consistently beat Dulles was in 2003.

Reagan National Airport is also on track for a record year. It had 1,795,557 passengers in July, up 4.4 percent from a year ago. National is benefiting from additional US Airways and JetBlue flights.

[Capital Flyer]

The Washington Examiner newspaper highlights traffic and costs at the three DC airports.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/dulles...4#.UGmmSK7SjPh


Dulles flights dwindle while National, BWI grow

by Liz Essley

October 1, 2012

Washington Dulles International Airport is losing passengers in droves as travelers flock to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall and Ronald Reagan Washington National airports to catch domestic flights.


The international airport in Virginia had 134,000 fewer passengers in July compared with the same period last year -- a 6 percent decline, according to the most recent data -- even as business at the region's two other airports hit highs.


The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which oversees the two Virginia airports, attributed the drop in Dulles traffic to the addition of low-cost flight options and long-distance flights at Reagan. That competition, coupled with an overall decline in domestic air travel nationally, is putting pressure on Dulles, the authority said.


"This trend is consistent with other airports across the country. In response to economic conditions, airlines have reduced or constrained domestic seats in favor of international service," said authority spokesman Rob Yingling. "We expect Dulles domestic passenger numbers to bounce back in the future as the airlines shift more capacity there to accommodate demand."


International travel at Dulles has grown slightly -- 0.9 percent -- over last year, though it grew by 17 percent at BWI over the same period.


The shift of domestic passengers to Reagan National is making things more expensive at Dulles, officials said.


The additional flights at Reagan "have shifted similar service away from Dulles International, escalating that airport's costs and, therefore, expenses to airlines," authority CEO Jack Potter wrote recently to federal authorities.


BWI charged airlines $9.29 per passenger over the last year, while Reagan charged $12.74 and Dulles charged $26.03. Yingling said Dulles' costs are higher because of the significant costs of recent improvements, including construction of a fourth runway and new parking garages.


Those costs translate into higher ticket prices for passengers using Dulles.


The average round-trip domestic fare at Dulles was $485 in the first quarter of 2012 -- the fifth-highest in the nation, federal statistics show. Fares at Reagan averaged $390, the 39th-highest, and $330 at BWI, the 79th-highest.


BWI Executive Director Paul Wiedefeld attributed his airport's growth to a strong local economy, a variety of destinations, low costs and easy access.


"We focus on making sure we have the airlines that respond to what the market wants," he said.