Dulles Airport was closed on Valentine's Day 2006 due to weather conditions. This is a view of the departure schedule at 7:59 a.m. that morning.

Photo: Tracy A. Woodward, Washington Post

Paul Ginoux, of Silver Spring M.D., came to Dulles to pick up his wife, Catherine and their baby, Thibaud, 10 months old, when they returned from Belgium.

Photo: Tracy A. Woodward

Heavy snow is cleared from the parking lot in front of Dulles on a cold winter morning in 2006.

Photo: Tracy A. Woodward

After bad weather delayed their flight, Akane Yoshiya and Jakashi Onoyama get information from Travelers Aid booth volenteer Jack Murray.

Photo: Tracy A. Woodward, Washington Post

Giant pandas Tian Tian and Mei Xiang arrive at Dulles International Airport on Wednesday, December 6, 2000. The pandas will be at the National Zoo in Washington until at least 2010. The Chinese government loaned the pandas in exchange for a $10-million donation to promote panda conservation in China.

Photo: Hillery Smith Garrison

One month after winning U.S. government approval for the coveted nonstop route to China, United Airlines completed its inaugural flight on March 29, 2007, from Washington's Dulles International Airport to Beijing. This photo shows passengers as they arrive at Beijing airport.

Photo: Greg Baker

Yasemin Oruncak makes her way through the crowds at Dulles International Airport with her kids, Deniz, left, and Selen, 16 months, as they travel to Turkey for Thanksgiving.

Photo: unknown

When Spanair launched its first U.S. - Spain route out of Dulles, they gave away free tickets to the first 262 people who showed up in Spanish costume. Bonnie Ford and Joshua Guzman, pictured here, spent a night in line to get free tickets, and yes, they succeeded.

Photo: Robert A. Reeder

The Dulles International Airport was empty and all flags were at half-mast late in the day of Sept. 11, 2001.

Photo: Tracy A. Woodward, Washington Post

Deserted airline counters at Dulles International Airport on Sept. 11, 2001. All flights in the US were canceled and all airports were closed. American Airlines flight 77, a Boeing 757 operating from Washington Dulles to Los Angeles carrying 58 passengers, four flight attendants and two pilots, was flown into the Pentagon.

Photo: Joshua Roberts

This 11 September, 2001 image shows the deserted and blocked front entry to Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Virginia.

Photo: Joshua Roberts

Passengers line up at one of the security check points at Dulles Airport as things return to normal after the 9/11 attacks.

Photo: Larry Morris

Jennifer Grega, left, hugs a fellow United Airlines flight attendant after the two arrive at Dulles after 9/11 to volunteer in the Employee Assistance Program.

Photo: unknown

James Carlton, a fleet service worker for American Airlines, greeted arriving AA flights at Dulles to honor all of the people who died aboard the flights on 9/11.

Photo: unknown

Juan Miguel Gonzalez, the father of Elian Gonzalez, makes a statement to the press after arriving at Dulles Airport in a private jet. His wife, Nersey Carmenate, left, is holding their son, Hianny. In the background is Joan Brown Campbell, former president of the National Council of Churches, left; and Thom Fassett, a United Methodist Church official, center. (No i.d. for man at far right.)

Photo: Hillery Smith Garrison

Peter Jenkins, from the United kingdom, touches his finger to the fingerprint imager on his way through customs at the Dulles International Airport. A small digital camera is at the end of a flexible boom and was used to take his picture.

Photo: Gerald Martineau

Dulles International Airport customs inspectors, Daisy Flores, left, and Tara Henry, right, check mail for illegal transport of pharmaceuticals.

Photo: unknown

TSA security screeners, who are trained in the art of behavior detection, monitor a checkpoint on the main level of the Dulles International Airport.

Photo: Tracy A. Woodward

Security was tight at Dulles International Airport on Aug. 10, 2006, as certain liquid and gel items were banned from all aircraft. As passengers approached their gates, they were forced to dispose of any prohibited items, such as bottled drinks, hairspray, lip gloss, toothpaste, or hand lotion, at the entrance to check-in line.

Photo: James A. Parcell

TSA Officer John Dennis hands out quart size sandwich bags for the traveling public at the Dulles security check-in on Nov. 22, 2006. The bags are a security measure designed to limit the amount of gels and liquids onboard. Since 2006, the allowances have relaxed slightly, and 3.4 oz bags are now used.

Photo: Rich Lipski

Members of the Special Olympics North Section Power Lifters participate in the 2007 plane pull.

Photo: Tracy A. Woodward

Aerial view of 2007 Dulles Day Family Festival as a team competes in the plane pull competition. A plane pull is arguably the most popular part of the annual event.

Photo: Tracy A. Woodward