Charlotte-Douglas Airport (CLT) Expansion

[monsoon]

Juniper Bank changed its name to Barclays Bank Delaware last year. Juniper was purchased by Barclays PLC in December 2004.

They are still running the bankcard program under the Juniper name.

[dubone]

That is actually far worse than I imagined. That is shameful. I'm embarassed that I have a friend flying in this weekend to see Charlotte for the first time. It's not like he'll say 'I'm glad I saved ten cents on my airport fee to fly into such a crappy place'. Pitiful.

To me, maintaining what you already have is far cheaper in the long run than replacing it all the time. Of course, it is also cheap to just let it rot and not replace it, but then you miss out on its purpose or function.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

That's pretty bad. It's even worse that it's so visible and easily fixable.

Old ceiling tiles, carpet, visible plywood, monochrome CRTs... yea, it would seem a few changes are in order.

[uptownliving]

MC, I bet if you sent your concerns and pics to the Mayor and the Observer things would improve rather quickly.

[fortyniner]

Any chance CLT would ever have escalators installed in both directions?

(Up AND Down). It looked like a cost cutting move when the terminal was built, but some revenue has been made since then, and up and down escalators would be nice.

[Miesian Corners]

They are still running the bankcard program under the Juniper name.

Yes they are, but the agreement was hammered out by Juniper's parent company, Barclays. The British bank invested $455 million in US Airways restructuring for its merger with America West. This one one of the items it recieved in return for its investment. Juniper had already been acquired by Barclays and had a credit card operation up and running. The parent company marketed the affinity card under the Juniper moniker for that reason.

As for two way escalators at A, B, and C security checkpoints, I was told that it will not happen. The airport official who I spoke with said that passengers are expected to use the two currently in place in the center of the ticket lobby (both go up from baggage claim).

[A2]

MC, I bet if you sent your concerns and pics to the Mayor and the Observer things would improve rather quickly.

Yes MC, pleeeeease send these pics to the mayor. Let him know that a few others who actually take pride in our city are outraged.

A2

[Delta_USAir]

Southwest (LUV - commentary - Cramer's Take - Rating) has also noticed. In 2000, CEO Herb Kelleher discussed the possibility that the US Airways and United merger might involve divesting assets. He told a transportation conference that Charlotte was a city where, if regulators "said you have to give up half your gates, we'd be interested in looking at them."

Southwest's position hasn't changed. If Delta and US Airways are required to turn over assets to satisfy regulatory requirements, LaGuardia and Charlotte are both places Southwest might choose to serve, spokeswoman Beth Harbin said recently.

Requiring some Charlotte divestiture is not unlikely, says Mike Bell, who retired from Delta in 2004 as vice president of schedule development. During his career, Bell presided over scheduling and also evaluated the network efficiencies of mergers, most of which were never completed.

also another article I can not find said Southwest would also be interested in maintence facilities at Charlotte

I can't wait to fly them ROOMY 737's

[uptownliving]

On the docket for the city council next Monday is to approve $800K to replace all the airport signage inside Concourse A,B,C and the ticketing/lobby areas. This action will replace the original 1982 signs with modern ones that are similar in design to the new signs in Councourse D and E.

This will also fund the design of Phase 2 of this project to replace the CRT screens with LCD or Plasma displays. If everything goes well then the airport will come to the city council later this year for a contract to install the new displays.

[rockhilljames]

New displays would be nice.

Actually having the correct flight identified BEFORE the luggage starts rolling out would be an improvement. We need to expand the baggage claim BADLY, it's the worse part of the airport.

[uptownliving]

Actually having the correct flight identified BEFORE the luggage starts rolling out would be an improvement. We need to expand the baggage claim BADLY, it's the worse part of the airport.

I agree with you 110%! The Baggage Claim area is indeed the worst part of the airport. At least they replaced that gawd awful 1982 green carpet a year or so ago. I have had problems with my bags showing up on the wrong carosel. I sent a complaint letter to US Airways about this in 2005 and they sent back a letter of apology and $50. Ever since then my bags have shown up on the right carosell.

There are plans to expand the Baggage Claim area by pushing the wall back a bit. I beleive it is a $2M project that the airport keeps on putting off... I think the delays are due to TSA not sure exactly where they want to put their huge baggage scanning machines. Once the TSA makes a final decision then the airport can expand the baggage claim area around them.

[monsoon]

I have found that getting baggage in Charlotte is most often slower than about any other large airport that I have been in. It doesn't seem to have improved much over the years.

[RubberNecker]

I have found that getting baggage in Charlotte is most often slower than about any other large airport that I have been in. It doesn't seem to have improved much over the years.

I have to take the total opposite side of this one. Charlotte has regularly been one of, if not the fastest baggage claim area of any "large" city I have been to...and this is coming from 6 years of flying every week. Certainly haven't been to every big city airport, but charlotte is faster on average than most.

I do agree that the signage is terrible and many times are not updated until about 2 minutes before the luggage starts flowing. Those red LED lights annoy they heck out of me and most first timers to the airport don't even see the tv screens pointing you to your zone.

[monsoon]

On the docket for the city council next Monday is to approve $800K to replace all the airport signage inside Concourse A,B,C and the ticketing/lobby areas. This action will replace the original 1982 signs with modern ones that are similar in design to the new signs in Councourse D and E.

This will also fund the design of Phase 2 of this project to replace the CRT screens with LCD or Plasma displays. If everything goes well then the airport will come to the city council later this year for a contract to install the new displays.

It would seem then the rebuilding of these signs have been in the works for some time.

[atlrvr]

I was shocked how slow it took to get bags when I flew in on Christmas Day. It took 1 hour and 15 mintues before bags were delivered.....there was one pissed off group of travelers, including someone who managed to commondere a P/A mic, and kept demanding (over the entire concourse) someone from the airline to show up to explain the delay.

[Delta_USAir]

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/conte...05/b4019098.htm

I hear United is very interested in LCC. They once tied to buy AWA, and US at the same time.

AA, Continental,and NorthWest would also get good benefits.

But LCC has other agendas, and doug parker would never share his wallet.

So This really came out to be really good for Charlotte.Say we did merge, they MIGHT shift international ops from Minn. to CLT. If we do not get aquired according to the article we get knew hubs!!!!!I can relocate to our sister city.

Edited January 19, 2007 by Delta_USAir

[monsoon]

There are a lot of rumors out there. However there are no other offers. The only thing that really matter in this process is if the creditors and the bankruptcy judge will accept USAir's offer as the best one out here for the people that are owed money by the airline. The rest doesn't matter especially stuff printed in the business tabloids.

I would not be jumping up and down in celebration until the court says no to USAir.

[Miesian Corners]

As a point of reference, thought I'd show everyone what the Charlotte Airport looked like in 1975. Notice the Eastern Airlines jets and the one lone Piedmont prop in the middle.

[cinco]

^ wow, my pop's was most likely in there working - the moment this photo was taken. eastern airlines was a big part of my childhood.

[monsoon]

That building is the cargo terminal now and you can still go to it. Passenger service was moved to the current terminal in 1982 when Piedmont opened its hub here.

[suburban george3]

I have found that getting baggage in Charlotte is most often slower than about any other large airport that I have been in. It doesn't seem to have improved much over the years.

My last flight into Charlotte was after Thanksgiving, and I have to agree, it took almost an hour after arrival for our bags to come out! We were also one of the last flight in for the night (arriving after 11pm.) Also not to mention, that after finally getting our bags, it took forever to get a parking shuttle. It seemed all the shuttles were diverted for employee parking, it took an additional 40 minutes to get a parking shuttle. I find this completely unacceptable, even for the time of night....

[CLT]

My last flight into Charlotte was after Thanksgiving, and I have to agree, it took almost an hour after arrival for our bags to come out! We were also one of the last flight in for the night (arriving after 11pm.) Also not to mention, that after finally getting our bags, it took forever to get a parking shuttle. It seemed all the shuttles were diverted for employee parking, it took an additional 40 minutes to get a parking shuttle. I find this completely unacceptable, even for the time of night....

I am guessing you flew the airline with a hub here...? If that is the case, their first concern are connecting bags. It always was and always will be unfortunately.

[Miesian Corners]

Not gonna argue with you on this, but after 11 pm, there are only two employee shuttle buses. Trust me, I'm on one of them late every Sunday night (except tonight...finally a weekend off!). However, during Thanksgiving, employee parking is opened to the general public for a flat fee of $10.00. Further, employee buses are used for passenger drop off to the overflow parking that's utilized during holiday periods.

[uptownliving]

My last flight into Charlotte was after Thanksgiving, and I have to agree, it took almost an hour after arrival for our bags to come out! We were also one of the last flight in for the night (arriving after 11pm.) Also not to mention, that after finally getting our bags, it took forever to get a parking shuttle. It seemed all the shuttles were diverted for employee parking, it took an additional 40 minutes to get a parking shuttle. I find this completely unacceptable, even for the time of night....

That is unacceptable...you should file a formal complaint against the airline you were flying. Try to include as many details as possible. These complaints are tracked by the FAA and the Airlines take them seriously.

And for the shuttles you should sent a letter of complaint to Airport Director Jerry Orr.

[suburban george3]

Not gonna argue with you on this, but after 11 pm, there are only two employee shuttle buses. Trust me, I'm on one of them late every Sunday night (except tonight...finally a weekend off!). However, during Thanksgiving, employee parking is opened to the general public for a flat fee of $10.00. Further, employee buses are used for passenger drop off to the overflow parking that's utilized during holiday periods.

It seemed that two out of three shuttles were employee parking. I was parked in Long Term along with about 20 other people waiting for the long term shuttle, the driver told us it was a shift change but that we should have seen another shuttle while we had waited.

As far as the bags, well I was flying NWA on a very cheap fare ($200 round trip to L.A.) so I guess I got what I paid for! But I haven't run into that kind of delay before with NWA or other airlines..