Charlotte-Douglas Airport (CLT) Expansion

[Miesian Corners]

Maybe that's why my flights are frequently so late or cancelled... I've been booking with a nonexistent airline.

No, the company I work for changed its name to try and get away from its poor reputation only to take its new moniker down the same path. Pity. Thanks for sticking by us, though. Most of us try (we really do), but our management doesn't. It must be the desert heat in Tempe that frys (or is it "fries"--I forget) their brains and keeps them from making good decisons.

[CLT]

I really wish Charlotte would do more to bring in more airlines to our airport so there are more options for travel.

Other than making gates available there is not a lot CLT can do to bring more air service. Airline travel is market driven and airlines are free to add service if they choose. At least there are many more options than there were a few years ago. Every major airline except Southwest serves CLT. Most of the majors offer service to all their hub cities and Air Tran and JetBlue now offer service to focus cities.

[monsoon]

Actually I wish Southwest would come to Charlotte. They would shake up the status quo enough hopefully to reduce the cost of originating a flight out of Charlotte. And I wish some of the other regional airlines would come to CLT that avoid us like the plague because of the fortress that USA has built. Like we should be seeing $99 flights to places instead of $1000 flights on short notice.

[rockhilljames]

No, the company I work for changed its name to try and get away from its poor reputation only to take its new moniker down the same path. Pity. Thanks for sticking by us, though. Most of us try (we really do), but our management doesn't. It must be the desert heat in Tempe that frys (or is it "fries"--I forget) their brains and keeps them from making good decisons.

That's been my experience with most of US Airways employees. The attendants especially are apologetic about things, but are powerless to change them.

[RiverwoodCLT]

I support US Air to a point. If I can save $500 or more going to another airline or airport I will. I hope Southwest comes to CLT in the near future. This would force US Air to a-line their fares more in line with other airlines and airports

[lptk]

That's been my experience with most of US Airways employees. The attendants especially are apologetic about things, but are powerless to change them.

And that only goes so far for me.

In my observations as an average joe business & leisure traveler (read: not dividend miles preferred, but a regular traveller), I get MUCH better service on United than US Airways. In most cases I would rather fly through ORD or even to stay on United than take a nonstop on US Airways. The last round trip I took didn't give me a choice due to the destination, so I took US. Two nastydirty planes (this was not over the holidays, just a normal weekday flight), and the best service we experienced was "curt" and "dismissive". Example: Gate agent here in CLT spending 12 minutes (timed) humoring US crew, on that flight who wanted to shift passengers around so that they could get better seats, before helping us with a simple request - gate check tag for a stroller. While we're waiting there holding a child. There wasn't a line at the counter, just us and the crew. Make the paying passengers wait for that? For 12 minutes? Not good service in my opinion.

Then we board a dirty plane. Great. Return flight was more of the same.

I have no doubt that preferred passengers are happier with their service. That's where employees place most of their emphasis, and I can understand the need to keep those passengers loyal. But in the case above (just one of many similar stories I could tell from the last few years), the gate agent had no idea whether we were preferred or not.

So that's the kind of experience that makes willing to make connections to avoid US. I fly on US only about once every quarter and there is enough each time to remind me.

Not that UA is problem free, of course. There are issues everywhere. But I'm rarely disgruntled with service on UA. Frequently on US. I hope it can turn around.

[JBGB]

I have had similar problems with US Airways. My wife and I took her 95+ year old grandmother on a return flight back to charlotte who could barley walk. So well ahead of time we asked the clerk for assistance. I

[CLT]

I just received my latest edition of Budget Travel Magazine. There is an interesting article on Nonstop Caribbean service. Of the cities listed only Miami with 14 flights and Atlanta with 18 have more non stop service than Charlotte. We are tied with New York and Toronto each with 13 fights. It was interesting (but not surprising) to see that of the 37 cites listed only Charlotte NC and West Palm Beach FL were the only cities that had their states identified.

List of cities:

Departure city: Charlotte, N.C.

Destination Airline(s)

Antigua US Airways (Saturdays)

Aruba US Airways

Bahamas US Airways (Freeport, Nassau)

Barbados US Airways

Cayman Islands US Airways

Dominican Republic US Airways (Punta Cana)

Jamaica US Airways (Montego Bay)

Puerto Rico US Airways (San Juan)

St. Kitts US Airways

St. Lucia US Airways

St. Martin/St. Maarten US Airways

Turks & Caicos US Airways

U.S. Virgin Islands US Airways (St. Croix, St. Thomas)

Edit:spelling

Edited November 30, 2007 by CLT

[Miesian Corners]

I find it odd that they only view "islands" as Caribbean service. What about Central American destinations? Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica--all served non-stop from CLT.

A CLT airport update: the restroom rehab project on B Concourse is now complete. But in true Jerry Orr fashion, they did it on the cheap. In the men's room they didn't put dividers between urinals; I wonder why they didn't just install a trough? Let's just say they are so close together that Larry Craig would be very happy there.

Don't get me wrong, the new rehab is light years ahead of the old ones. A vast improvement. The one thing they added that I could do without is the restroom attendant (tip jar and all). I'm annoyed by them at clubs, so I certainly don't want to deal with them at a publicly-owned facility. They also did not complete the C Con project in time for the Holiday rush (in fact, as of yesterday they were not open), so lines (especially women's room) were out the door and down the hall.

[monsoon]

US Airways announced last week that they were purchasing 5 more A330-200s and leasing 2 additional 330-200s, for 2009 delivery. These are quickly becoming their standard trans-Atlantic widebodies replacing the 767s. This should allow them at least 6 more European routes. There was no commitment to any particular routes, but said they would be adding destinations from existing hubs.....I would think CDG (Paris) is pretty certain for 2009......

I don't know the terms of the deal, but with the Euro hitting $1.50 now, I wonder how long USAir can continue to push their love affair with Airbus when there is going to be a definite price advantage of going with Boeing instead.

[Miesian Corners]

I don't know the terms of the deal, but with the Euro hitting $1.50 now, I wonder how long USAir can continue to push their love affair with Airbus when there is going to be a definite price advantage of going with Boeing instead.

Airbus sells airplanes in Dollars, not Euros. This is especially problematic for company because it buys parts in Euros. It is Airbus that is facing financial ruin because of this, not American carriers that purchased aircraft, as the negotiated price in Dollars remains the same regardles of the value of either currency.

[CLT]

US Airways announced today that they will begin service to Daytona Beach Feb 1 with 3 daily regional jet flights seating 85 passengers.

Now if they would only add San Antonio & Austin!!!

[HopHead]

US Airways announced today that they will begin service to Daytona Beach Feb 1 with 3 daily regional jet flights seating 85 passengers.

Now if they would only add San Antonio & Austin!!!

I was kind of surprised to see that CLT didn't already have service to Daytona, especially considering how we're 1) a USA hub and more notably 2) both cities are Nascar hotbeds.

[uptownliving]

The "new" Daytona flights are actually re-instatement of a previous flight that was cancelled back in 1997.

[atlrvr]

I found this to be an interesting fact.

USAirways flights between Charlotte and New York's 3 main airports is the 6th busiest route in the country based on O/D traffic (does not count connecting passengers)

The top 10 routes in order of greatest origination/destination passengers.

Atlanta-NYC - Delta

Chicago-NYC - American

Miami-NYC - American

Los Angeles-NYC - American

Orlando-Philidelphia - US Airways

Charlotte-NYC - US Airways

Dallas-NYC - American

Chicago-NYC - United

Orlando-NYC - Continental

Boston-D.C. - US Airways

Also, interestingly, of these routes, CLT-NYC generates the 2nd highest yeild, a common/simplified measure of how "profitable" a route is.

US Airways loves those banks.

[kickazzz2000]

I found this to be an interesting fact.

USAirways flights between Charlotte and New York's 3 main airports is the 6th busiest route in the country based on O/D traffic (does not count connecting passengers)

The top 10 routes in order of greatest origination/destination passengers.

Atlanta-NYC - Delta

Chicago-NYC - American

Miami-NYC - American

Los Angeles-NYC - American

Orlando-Philidelphia - US Airways

Charlotte-NYC - US Airways

Dallas-NYC - American

Chicago-NYC - United

Orlando-NYC - Continental

Boston-D.C. - US Airways

Also, interestingly, of these routes, CLT-NYC generates the 2nd highest yeild, a common/simplified measure of how "profitable" a route is.

US Airways loves those banks.

Are you sure that is O/D traffic? I took that to reflect total passengers.

I thought NYC-FLL/MIA and SFO-LAX were the highest O/D routes in the country.

[atlrvr]

Fairly certain, at least that was how it was titled.....the total pax was 1,481....they fly the route 22 times daily, with mostly 734 or A320, though some CR9s...assuming average capacity is 125 seats, that is total capacity of 2,750....I would think they'd be flying more than 50% occupied or they would cut some frequencies.

As far as NYC-MIA/FLL, it probably is the highest if you were to combine all airlines. Also, the list only included legacy carriers, so JetBlue and Spirit aren't included.

Edit. The list I showed, was for only a single airline, though Charlotte-NYC still probably does well, as Continental, Delta, American and JetBlue all fly the route as well, totaling another 21 daily flights.....that's 43 daily flights between CLT and Newark/JFK/LaGuardia. I had no idea there were that many until I just checked.....no wonder there is so much congestion at NYC airports.

[monsoon]

Lot of ex-NYCers living in the area now.

[rockhilljames]

I do that route a lot, but fly JetBlue instead of USAir.

[USAirways]

US Airways is trying out inflight entertainment systems in their aircraft next year {modeled after Jetblue's inflight entertainment systems}. the new uniforms, and new website is also coming online next year. Hopefully this is a turning point for US.

Edited December 10, 2007 by atlrvr

[Appetite for Construction]

Recent passenger info for Charlotte ...

CLT ranked 9th in the nation in enplanements in the month of September, up from 12th last year, 1.2 million passenger enplanements.

Article from the Biz Journal

[CLT]

Recent passenger info for Charlotte ...

CLT ranked 9th in the nation in enplanements in the month of September, up from 12th last year, 1.2 million passenger enplanements.

Article from the Biz Journal

I wonder how many of those passengers are local CLT folks? While 17% growth is good, the real stat is how many of the passengers are local vs connecting. I seem to recall that a few years ago local traffic accounted for about 20-25% of traffic.

[atlrvr]

This will probably thrill Mesian Corners. The carpeting in baggage claim will be replaced early next year with solid-surface......probably some cheaper alternative to terrazo.

Also, next fall, the CRT monitors will go, and Charlotte will be entering the 2000's with some flat-panel monitors.

[Miesian Corners]

This will probably thrill Mesian Corners. The carpeting in baggage claim will be replaced early next year with solid-surface......probably some cheaper alternative to terrazo.

Also, next fall, the CRT monitors will go, and Charlotte will be entering the 2000's with some flat-panel monitors.

What? Did they buy some used ones from 2002 at a yard sale in Ballantyne? Seriously, where did you get the info? You are indeed correct, I am thrilled! Still confused as to why they have to wait another year to do this stuff, but oh well...

[uptownliving]

Praise jesus on the flat panels...bout time they got rid of the CRT's.

In other news we will be getting a new non-stop destination: Key West, FL.

Service will start Feb 16th with Saturday only service on Embraer 170. In the past to get to Key West you had to connect in Miami, Ft Lauderdale, or Orlando on US Airways.

The Key West flight will bring us up to about 125 non-stop destinations from Charlotte.