Charlotte-Douglas Airport (CLT) Expansion

[1979Heel]

Where's the article? I don't see it on the link. I have a friend who is Director of Flight Ops at a large corporation and I'd like to send him the link.

In other Charlotte aviation news, Continental has abandoned its rumored merger with United. Does UA next come calling on US?

[Raintree21]

It is just a link to the magazine's home page for informational purposes. They, like most magazines, do not put many of their current month's articles online. Wait till May and it may be there although they appear to be a little behind on their log of previous months' articles.

[kickazzz2000]

Reuters has posted a rumor that USAirways is talking to American Airlines about a merger. This is parallel with discussions with a merger with United, though United is also talking to Continental.

A merger with AA may not be as good for Charlotte given that AA has already closed hubs in Raleigh and Nashville basically moved the traffic to Miami and STL.

AA didn't exactly abandon Nashville for STL. STL was acquired via the TWA buyout, which was several years after AA dumped BNA.

While I don't thing US/AA would spell total disaster for CLT, I think US/UA would certainly open an opportunity for some growth.

[dubone]

It looks like the Continental, United merger will not be happening. Given that airline analysts are pushing for a US Airways-United merger due to the reduced costs of integrating, and the fact that the deals apparently made sense to management in past years when the pitched a merger with US Airways and with America West.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24341576/

I do hope that if mergers are necessary, as they appear to be, that we can merge with an airline that might take advantage of Charlotte as a hub, and might help make the final entity a well run airline.

I am unclear whether United's Dulles hub would put Charlotte in jeopardy like the Delta merger would have.

[Route]

I doubt Dulles will threaten Charlotte. United needs a Southern hub and will use Charlotte for South America, Carribian and perhaps additional European routes. I think a merger w/ UA would be great for Charlotte.

[Appetite for Construction]

I think a merger w/ UA would be great for Charlotte.

Agreed. I wonder how long before we hear something from the US/UA camps. If this merger made sense several years ago, it makes even more sense now.

[rockhilljames]

...and Bingo! Just like that the media reports that United and USAirways are in merger talks. (very advanced according to the source) story here

Any industry insiders care to speculate where Charlotte would rank in a merged United/USAirways airline? I'm assuming that United would in effect retain control...

Not only that, but what happens to Phoenix? They could be the really big losers in this game.

[HopHead]

...and Bingo! Just like that the media reports that United and USAirways are in merger talks. (very advanced according to the source) story here

Any industry insiders care to speculate where Charlotte would rank in a merged United/USAirways airline? I'm assuming that United would in effect retain control...

Not only that, but what happens to Phoenix? They could be the really big losers in this game.

Yea, I would imagine either Vegas or Phoenix would be hurting. Better bet would be Phoenix. I think Las Vegas has a pretty large array of airlines and number of flights b/c it's more of a destination city compared to Phoenix.

[monsoon]

Hmm. I don't see any more meat to that than Reuters reporting the American Airlines/USAirways merger. I don't think we will know until we know because this deal is going to happen in the corporate backroom presumabely to give the best deals to the CEOs running the airlines.

This Delta/NWA dance has left USA, Continental, American, and United sitting by the refreshment table all looking for a suitor. Continental apparently saw something in United they didn't like and ran away screaming. It remains to be see what will happen with the rest. My other topic about oil prices is going to have a big effect on how these companies conduct their business in the future. Maybe we will end up with 1 or 2 national airlines and that will be it. The 1980s hub and spoke system is not working in the fuel starved and environmentally aware 21st century.

[Appetite for Construction]

There is an AP story on charlotte.com that quotes sources saying an announcement will be made within two weeks that the two airlines are combining.

[edmundblackadder1999]

Will a new terminal be built or is just another runway being added?

[RealMadrid]

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_updat...rger_talks.html

Golaszewski believes Charlotte will be "not so fortunate" as compared to Philadelphia and DC.

[1979Heel]

I just read his comments and they seem premised on US Airways being the acquirer, not United. Since US Airways' market cap is a fraction of United's I doubt the former will acquire the latter but stranger things have happened. IAD (Dulles) is the second busiest airport on the East Coast and United is its largest carrier. Also, PHL is closer to IAD than is Charlotte. All this makes me think that PHL is more at risk than CLT, but who knows. Also, he forgot to mention that US Airways lost out on getting gates from DL there (I think PHL is maxed out on available gates) so I'm not so certain that PHL is in good shape should this merger come to pass.

Edited April 28, 2008 by 1979Heel

[JayGee]

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_updat...rger_talks.html

Golaszewski believes Charlotte will be "not so fortunate" as compared to Philadelphia and DC.

He's an idiot. Philadelphia would probably remain, especially since it is so established as an international hub for USA, but common sense says that they will not throw away a southern tier hub when UAL does not have one now, especially since it is less affected by winter weather and northeast congestion than Philly. When it was Delta/USA, yeah Charlotte was in trouble, but not with this one.

[Miesian Corners]

^Agreed. When the previous US/UA merger was announced, Charlotte was to be a huge winner as a competing hub for Delta's ATL operation. Nothing has changed since then. I would think that PHX and LAS would be in some trouble though. No real need for three hubs in the west, along with large operations at LAX and SFO.

[1979Heel]

I forgot to note that he's based in PA, so of course he's shaking the pom-poms for PHL.

[JayGee]

Off the merger topic for a second here, is Jerry planning on doing anything (or put pressure on someone who can do something) about the pathetic state of the road signage around and leading to the airport.

It really doesn't matter to me, I know how to get to the airport, but I travel a lot, and when I see how other cities clearly identify their airports, I am amazed at how BAD CLT is! It's embarrassing.

Case in point: There is a huge "Charlotte Douglas International Airport" sign at the Wilkinson Blvd. exit on I485, but after you get onto Wilkinson, the only sign you see for the airport is a little airplane picture at Little Rock Rd., easily missed.

And I77? Nothing that says Charlotte Douglas International Airport, just that little airplane picture. How embarrasingly pathetic. I know the interstate is not the airport's responsibility, but surely they can put some pressure on DOT to fix that. Do we not have any more consideration than that for our visitors?

Of course if you want to get to the Billy Graham Library, there's a huge sign for that.

Just venting here.

[Miesian Corners]

Off the merger topic for a second here, is Jerry planning on doing anything (or put pressure on someone who can do something) about the pathetic state of the road signage around and leading to the airport.

It really doesn't matter to me, I know how to get to the airport, but I travel a lot, and when I see how other cities clearly identify their airports, I am amazed at how BAD CLT is! It's embarrassing.

Case in point: There is a huge "Charlotte Douglas International Airport" sign at the Wilkinson Blvd. exit on I485, but after you get onto Wilkinson, the only sign you see for the airport is a little airplane picture at Little Rock Rd., easily missed.

And I77? Nothing that says Charlotte Douglas International Airport, just that little airplane picture. How embarrasingly pathetic. I know the interstate is not the airport's responsibility, but surely they can put some pressure on DOT to fix that. Do we not have any more consideration than that for our visitors?

Of course if you want to get to the Billy Graham Library, there's a huge sign for that.

Just venting here.

^I am in complete agreement!!! I cannot believe that the state removed the words "Charlotte-Douglas International Airport" and replaced them with "Billy Graham Libarary" on the I-77 north-bound sign. Yes, that's right, it's the same sign that used to tell folks how to get to the airport, but the state covered it with the new, obviously more important information. Which one is a bigger economic engine? Hmmmm. That's a hard one.

[JayGee]

I wonder what rocket scientist at NCDOT came up with that brilliant idea. When Charlotte gets accused of having small town mentality, it's things like this that come to mind.

[southslider]

Maybe it was done to encourage use of I-485 for those coming up I-77. Eventually, Little Rock Road from I-85 is supposed to become a greater entrance, but who knows when.

[Shakman]

I just read his comments and they seem premised on US Airways being the acquirer, not United. Since US Airways' market cap is a fraction of United's I doubt the former will acquire the latter but stranger things have happened. IAD (Dulles) is the second busiest airport on the East Coast and United is its largest carrier. Also, PHL is closer to IAD than is Charlotte. All this makes me think that PHL is more at risk than CLT, but who knows. Also, he forgot to mention that US Airways lost out on getting gates from DL there (I think PHL is maxed out on available gates) so I'm not so certain that PHL is in good shape should this merger come to pass.

Actually there IAD is not the second busiest airport on the East Coast, though it is quite busy especially with international traffic. Unless you are refring to aircraft movement not passenger counts.

I read the article, however I would think that IAD may be in a better position since there is a lot more room to expand as compared to PHL.

[1979Heel]

Actually there IAD is not the second busiest airport on the East Coast, though it is quite busy especially with international traffic. Unless you are refring to aircraft movement not passenger counts.

I read the article, however I would think that IAD may be in a better position since there is a lot more room to expand as compared to PHL.

# of aircraft movements, if I remeber correctly. How does that compare with PHL?

[Miesian Corners]

Actually there IAD is not the second busiest airport on the East Coast, though it is quite busy especially with international traffic. Unless you are refring to aircraft movement not passenger counts.

I read the article, however I would think that IAD may be in a better position since there is a lot more room to expand as compared to PHL.

True, but PHL cost far less to oprerate than IAD. It costs United about $22 per passenger to send them through IAD (that's the airport code for Dulles, for those outside aviation). It costs US Airways $7.50 to send a passenger through PHL (Philadelphia). As a point of reference, CLT is still the least expensive hub per enplaned passenger in the country, costing US Airways $1.21.

[edmundblackadder1999]

Will a new terminal be built or is just another runway being added?

[uptownliving]

Will a new terminal be built or is just another runway being added?

There are long term plans to add a new international terminal...but the current plans are to expand and renovate the existing terminal building.