Question for Dulles/IAD Insiders
 

Hello,<BR><BR>in about two weeks I will be on a flight to Caracas (from Germany) with two stopovers in the US. The flight is with United and the stop-overs are Wash. Dulles and Miami. I intend to take a parcel with me to mail to a friend in the US. Now the question: Does anyone knows if I will have a chance to find a post office to mail the parcel when I am connecting in either Dulles or Miami? I cannot remember from my last stop-overs there if I am even aloud to leave the transit area or where a post-office is located at the Airport...<BR><BR>Any opinions?<BR>Thanks<BR>Miriam

Count on having to unwrap the gift for security reasons, so take wrapping and label, etc. to re-wrap.

Miriam: PO'd is right -- take heed. I can't remember seeing a post office in the terminal (beyond a mail box), and it's a long way to any surrounding metro area. <BR><BR>Search thru here:<BR>http://www.dfwairport.com/home.asp

The link in the above message is for Dallas, not Dulles; ignore it. I use Dulles extensively and have never seen a post office, though I suspect it could exist at some remote place in the terminal. REtail options at Dulles aren't much.

Kurt is right, Miriam -- my apologies for sending the wrong URL. Musta had Dallas on my mind. However, the same goes for Dulles -- I, too, have never seen a PO there.

If I were you, I'd avoid the post office at Dulles as they discovered anthrax there. Seriously. Here is one story on that in a local paper -- http://www.observernews.com/stories/current/herndon/110201/anthrax.shtml<BR>That is the closest post office (next to Marriott Hotel on Aviation Dr), I think, rather than one right in the airport. If you want to take your chances, it's very close to the airport and there is a free shuttle bus to the Marriott hotel.

Yikes, Chritina, give your approach a rest, will you. Always the worst case scenario. I'll just bet you the facts of the story don't support the innuendo in your posting. You'll have half the US leaping to a phony conclusion and believing Dulles was exposed. You really need to tighten up your technique. Ciao

If it helps, there is a FedEx office on the grounds of Dulles (the airport shuttle goes right by, but doen't stop). You could maybe have a taxi take you there (2 min.), wait, and return you to the terminal? Unfortunately I don't recall a post office inside the airport.

Sorry to give you another worst case scenario, but I say forget about it. Coming from South America, transferring in DC and Miami, don't even bother unless you want to get up close and personal with law enforcement officials.

Hello,<BR><BR>thanks to all who took time to reply.<BR>To the last poster: I don`t know exactly what you mean (English is not my first language as you might have noticed), but I am not coming from South America. My flight is from Frankfurt/Germany to Caracas. The FedEx office sounds like a good idea, I will check that out. Referring to my original post-am I aloud at all to leave the transit area without any problems? Ok, I know that I have to go through the security check again, but are there any other difficulties involved?<BR><BR>Thanks again<BR>Miriam

I took no "approach," L, and I take no advice from you and don't care about your constant advisories to others telling them what to do. I was merely stating the facts which is that anthrax was indeed discovered at that particular post office. It was in the standard newspapers. It was not "innuendo." I just thought they might want to know that.

Oh, Chistina, calm down a bit, please ... the person was asking about mailing a letter at Dulles. Mailing, not receiving. Think about it. Classic guilt by association stuff ... post office near Dulles ... thus Dulles. Do stop being such a worst case scenario type. Do you recall one time someone posted about renting a carriage in Paris ... your response was a particularly nasty little harrangue about animal cruelty. For someone who may not travel that much, your responses are so dire. Have a good weekend ... I think you need it. Ciao

Everyone better stay completely away from Washington, D.C. After all, they found anthrax here. And there have been murders, and muggings. Oh, an a terrorism attack nearby in Arlington. And NYC is about 4-5 hours away, so you'd better not go near that, either.

Miriam: I think this thread may be off on a tangent, and I know you still don't have an answer to your last question, so I think I'll stick my neck out (cover me, please) ...<BR><BR>When you get off the plane, you'll probably have to go to the shuttle area for transport to the main terminal. Once there, you're free to go outside the terminal and attempt to find a place to mail/fedex your parcel. Might want to check with the Information Desk for help. Then, when you get back, you'll have to go through security again and back out to your departure gate via the shuttle. I've been through IAD a few times, and that's what I'd do.<BR><BR>Good luck.