Charlotte-Douglas Airport (CLT) Expansion

[ncguy06]

So I recently flew on Southwest for the first time and was quite impressed. The boarding is a bit different but overall I had a good experience. I really hope that Southwest will come to Charlotte soon because from what I saw, it really is a great Airline. Anyone think we'll land some flights or continue to pay the high prices in the next year or so? I know they have been speculated to expand to Charlotte but I just enjoyed the Airline so much, and Im REALLY hoping they do expand here.

[uptownliving]

US Airways formally submitted their bid to the DOT to begin Charlotte-Phillidelphia-Beijing service starting in March 2009. The flight would originate in Charlotte and then to Phillidelphia before going to Beijing. This is really a matter a semantics since the Charlotte - Phillidelphia portion of the flight would be on a Boeing 767 which is already done today. The Philly-Beijing service would be on an Airbus A340-300 which the airline will acquire in 2009. So even though they will use the same flight number you will still have to change planes in Philly. The only advantage I see is that it would be the only all widebody airplane service from Charlotte to Beijing.

USAirways has setup a website about the application where you can read more info including a letter of support from Charlotte's own TJ Orr complete with gramatic errors.

[Raintree21]

The proposed route.

[Route]

Ridiculous. The South needs service to Hong Kong and Shanghai, not to Beijing. HK is the financial center of Asia and Charlotte is a big banking center. Service through Philly is a non event in my book.

[cltheel.sdl]

The proposed route.

Wow, are they really flying over Siberia/Arctic Ocean? That's pretty cool if they are.

I agree that we need a CLT to Hong Kong flight.

[Raintree21]

Perhaps this is just a stepping stone and they will build upon this. Next route would logically be Hong Kong I would think. Are there any current routes to Tokyo?

[Route]

Raintree you can get to Tokyo from the East Coast, NYC has flights and Atlanta might. I know Atlanta has direct flights to Seoul. No Tokyo service out of Charlotte at present.

[Raintree21]

Yeah, obviously NYC and others have it. I'm asking if we have any other Asian routes here in Charlotte.

[moving uptown]

Yeah, obviously NYC and others have it. I'm asking if we have any other Asian routes here in Charlotte.

no asian routes from charlotte - we have plenty of access to the caribbean from charlotte, also flights to london, frankfurt, and munich in europe and we have nonstops to mexico city, san jose (cr) and weekly flights to liberia (cr) (or we did at one time). we also fly to a few canadian markets.

usair has repeatedly said they dont have any international expansion plans from clt. in the event expansion did occur i would be willing to wager a flight to paris would be in the cards. we will not see direct non stop to hk or tokyo or beijing or shanghai anytime soon - maybe and a big maybe would be once usair gets the a350 in 7-8 years.

[Miesian Corners]

US will probably reinstate Paris (CDG) from CLT when it takes delivery of additional widebody aircraft in 2009. The airline already has route authority (slots), as it flew the route prior to 9/11/01. US management also says that CLT to Asia will probably happen sometime in 2012. What we can expect are some international routes from Star Alliance carriers who do currently have available aircraft. Most likely is BMI (British Midland) adding service from CLT to LHR or MAN in spring 2008 to take advantage of North American and Caribbean connections available with US Airways. Lufthansa's code share with US from its MUC-CLT flight has been very successful.

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

Charlotte currently has the 2nd most Carribean destinations with 24. Miami is first and they have 29 destinations. Charlotte is US Airways carribean hub also.

[Route]

I just don't get it why these airlines aren't rappidly trying to add Asia service out of the South. Southern businesses: banking, textiles and apparel, and furniture are doing so much business out of Asia and they have no Southern service.

[Adam4884]

Not sure how reliable this is but there is a rumor on airliners.net that US Airways is looking at starting service from Charlotte to Vienna, Austria due to the fact that Philadelphia is running out of space.

I think its pretty unlikely but interesting nonetheless.

[Adam4884]

I love the CLT airport and agree it is definitely one of the best airports in the USA in terms of ease and cleanliness. Someone else mentioned on here about opening up A,B,and C. I have to agree. The atrium, D, and E are stunning and modern. I would hope that down the road CLT will plan on renovating A, B, and C to make them look more like D and E. Just my two cents worth

[Route]

Vienna, Austria? I never would have guessed that. Any European service is good although that would have been about 10th on my list for Charlotte, it's still a good thing if it happens although i firmly believe Asia service is much more needed for the South.

[uptownliving]

I think that US Airways would prefer to do that route out of Philly and they probably using Charlotte as a bargaining chip with the authorities in Philly. However the flight does make sense seeing as Vienna is the hub for Austrian Airlines a Star Alliance Partner with US Airways.

[Adam4884]

I think that US Airways would prefer to do that route out of Philly and they probably using Charlotte as a bargaining chip with the authorities in Philly. However the flight does make sense seeing as Vienna is the hub for Austrian Airlines a Star Alliance Partner with US Airways.

I agree, Vienna does make sense for US Airways but I think the route would do better out of Philadelphia, they may just be using PHL as a bargaining chip like you said. I've heard (again on airliners.net) that when US Airways decides to add more European routes out of CLT it would probably the return of the flight to Paris CDG and then Rome after that. I've always thought with Zurich being a financial hub that a flight there from CLT might be neat.

Edited July 25, 2007 by Adam4884

[Adam4884]

Vienna, Austria? I never would have guessed that. Any European service is good although that would have been about 10th on my list for Charlotte, it's still a good thing if it happens although i firmly believe Asia service is much more needed for the South.

I will certainly agree with you- Paris, Rome, Madrid, and Zurich I could certainly see before Vienna. As far as Asia service, the south does need it, I would think Tokyo would be the first Asian city served from CLT perhaps?

[Raintree21]

Airline ticket prices have dropped by a bigger percentage at Charlotte's airport than any other major U.S. airport over the last six years, according to federal government statistics released today and detailed further in an Observer article.

[moving uptown]

again usair wont be serving asia from the east coast anytime soon because they dont have the aircraft. also, as stated above, vienna makes sense only because it is a fellow star alliance hub. however, the o/d traffic would be virtually nil. although their might be some pretty sweet deals come winter to vienna so im all for it

[Adam4884]

I was not implying that US Airways would start service to Asia soon, just thinking way into the future.

[monsoon]

I am still of the opinion the USA is going to lose 1 if not 2 major carriers and most likely USA won't survive the shakeout.

[Adam4884]

I agree that the US will lose at least one major though I see that airline being Northwest. I do see US Airways as a possibility, especially with the horrible decisions they have been making lately in Arizona.

[ScottCLT]

I agree that the US will lose at least one major though I see that airline being Northwest. I do see US Airways as a possibility, especially with the horrible decisions they have been making lately in Arizona.

If NWA were bought out, that would be a blessing for frequent travelers like me. I hate that airline with all the passion that one could hate an airline with. Lost bags, cancelled flights, and delays are expected with NWA.

But I would severely miss US Air. Many people say "US Scare" but I very rarely have any problems with them or their schedules. And, their treatment of frequent fliers is awesome -- US's upgrade program is the best in the industry. I get upgraded to first class on about 90% of flights without paying for it and it would be tough to get used to flying in coach every week after the way that US Air has treated me as a frequent flier for the past couple years.

[HopHead]

If NWA were bought out, that would be a blessing for frequent travelers like me. I hate that airline with all the passion that one could hate an airline with. Lost bags, cancelled flights, and delays are expected with NWA.

But I would severely miss US Air. Many people say "US Scare" but I very rarely have any problems with them or their schedules. And, their treatment of frequent fliers is awesome -- US's upgrade program is the best in the industry. I get upgraded to first class on about 90% of flights without paying for it and it would be tough to get used to flying in coach every week after the way that US Air has treated me as a frequent flier for the past couple years.

For me Delta is the worst. Just about every traveling nightmare has been accomplished by that airline for me. Before I moved here, I can't tell you how many nights I spent at a hotel in ATL that weren't planned, lost luggage, missed connections, etc, etc. Of course, I'll never forget the incident where the food cart guy ran his truck into the wing of the plan--damaging it so my flight was delayed 6 hours until they could get a new plane in.

But, yea there will be at least 1 airline consolidation in the not too distant future. US Airways/CLT really needs to get their act together though. I hope those consultants we're bringing in help with our on time (or lack there of) departures/arrivals. Up until this week, I took the same CLT/Boston flight for 6 weeks straight and not once did it leave on time from here or BOS. I'm sure it wasn't our airport everytime, but things need to change.