Quote:
Originally posted by tw
The greatest threat to Washington - National (now Reagan) Airport puts landing planes within thousands of feet to the Capitol, Pentagon, Foggy Bottom, Supreme Court, and White House. Maybe politicans will drive out to Dulles instead of to personal parking spaces in National? Heaven forbid that politicans should inconvenience themselves. Close National Airport now. Republican extremists may be too attached to the airport's name to be so pragmatic.
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I've been meaning to address this one for a while. Government leaders are not the only people that used this airport.
National Airport (I'm not calling it Reagan...f**k that) provided convenience not only to government leaders, but also provided another choice for Washingtonians. It's a stop on the blue and yellow Metro lines. Furthermore, service there would have multiplied, as the 1000-mile flight limit had recently been rescinded. Not to mention, Bolling AFB is directly across the Potomac from the airport.
Dulles is in East Bumf**k, accessible only by car. The Washington Flyer is a nice service, but can get costly. You have to pay tolls just to drive the road out there.
BWI is more accessible, as MARC and Amtrak take you right there (via the free shuttle from BWI Airport station). I-195 ends right at the airport, and it's free (unless you're coming from the east side of the Harbor, then you pay a mere buck for the Tunnels or the Key Bridge). And for people on the east side of the Potomac, it's closer than Dulles. But it's still 30 miles from Washington.
At the speeds that airplanes can travel, distances don't seem very relevant. Perhaps I do not understand the seriousness in keeping National closed, but given that the plane that crashed into the Pentagon came from Dulles (15-20 miles away), I don't see the harm in reopening National.