People carrier crashes at Washington-Area Airport, injures eighteen
Authorities said the people carrier, known as a mobile lounge, collided with a docking area at approximately 4:30 p.m. local time, causing visible damage to part of the terminal. Passengers on board were able to exit via stairs before being taken to nearby hospitals with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
Reports indicated that the mobile lounge was operating from Concourse D when it struck the dock at an angle while attempting to connect to the terminal. The airport has remained open and continues normal operations following the incident.
It remains unclear how many passengers were inside the vehicle at the time of the crash.
The use of these mobile lounges at Dulles dates back to 1959. They were originally introduced as a modern solution to transport travelers directly between planes and the terminal but have faced criticism in recent years for being outdated. The airport currently operates a fleet of 19 such vehicles, each capable of carrying over 100 people.
Earlier this week, a nominee for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) board described the people movers as obsolete, saying, "The people mover is a relic of the past." The official added, "It's an embarrassment that international travelers, visiting the capital of the most powerful nation in the world, are transported back to the sixties."
According to reports, mobile lounges have been involved in multiple accidents over the past decade, including one fatal crash between 2007 and 2017.
The latest collision occurred amid the ongoing government shutdown, which has led to staffing shortages and caused flight delays across the country. As part of emergency measures, the administration ordered several major airports, including Dulles, to scale back air traffic by 10%.
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