• 18 passengers injured after a mobile lounge crash at Dulles Airport.
• The incident occurred around 4:30 PM as the vehicle approached Concourse D.
• All injured passengers are reported to have non-life-threatening injuries.
• The airport is operating normally despite the accident.
• Mobile lounges have been in use at Dulles since 1959.

On Monday afternoon, a mobile lounge, also known as a people mover, struck a dock at Washington Dulles International Airport, injuring at least 18 passengers. The incident occurred around 4:30 PM EST while the vehicle was transporting passengers to Concourse D. Following the crash, passengers exited via stairs and were evaluated for injuries by airport emergency personnel, according to Indiatimes and The Hill.

All injured individuals were transported to a local hospital with what has been described as non-life-threatening injuries. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), which oversees operations at Dulles, confirmed that the airport is operating normally despite the accident. Crystal Nosal, a representative from MWAA, noted that the lounge struck the dock at an angle and mentioned that there is no immediate information regarding how the accident occurred, reports BBC and The Hill.

The mobile lounges at Dulles, which have been in service since 1959, have previously faced criticism for being outdated. Each lounge is capable of carrying up to 102 passengers and has been involved in several past incidents. With the latest crash, discussions about the vehicles' safety and design have resurfaced, as pointed out by BBC.