Charlotte-Douglas Airport (CLT) Expansion

[cltbwimob]

Apparently AA is adding flights from CLT to Springfield MO.

[Deleted.]

Apparently AA is adding flights from CLT to Springfield MO.

That is correct, there will be 2x daily flights:

Flight 3101 Departs CLT: 11:15 Arrives SGF: 13:00 Flight Time: 2 Hours 45 Minutes

Flight 3538 Departs CLT: 18:00 Arrives SGF: 19:45 Flight Time: 2 Hours 45 Minutes

Strangely the flights will be operated by Envoy with ERJ145. Which is surprising considering Envoy currently DOES NOT operate out of CLT. So the ERJs are coming back to CLT. I would of expected those flights to be operated on a CRJ 200 or CRJ 700 by PSA.

[cltbwimob]

So, based on OAG reports, it looks like US will not be making as large of cuts to the CLT-LHR winter schedule as originally reported.  Rather than an average of 10 weekly flights during the winter, it looks like the average will be closer to 12 weekly flights from November to February. 

 

I really wonder though, if they are having trouble doing a true double daily schedule with their current equipment, why not replace one of the US A330 flights with a BA 787 or 767?  Running a daily US A330-200 and a daily BA 787 or a daily US A330-300 and a daily BA 767 would give the route almost the exact same seat capacity as running the A330-300 daily and running the A330-200 5x weekly.  As a bonus, if they used the A330-200/787 combo on the route, they may be able to save some on fuel costs because the aircraft combo is significantly more efficient than the current A330-300/A330-200 combo.

 

I don't work for the airline, so I do not know all the numbers exactly, but it seems like it would be feasible.

[LKN704]

^While that would be nice, it is still cheaper for AA/US to continue to operate the new route than for BA to reopen a closed station. I don't know who does BA's customer service operations in the US or if everything is in house.

When BA last flew to CLT, I think they had their own ground staff in CLT. Recall that the current USO Lounge used to be a BA Terraces Lounge, which explains why the lounge is nicer than other USO Lounges, with all the wood paneling.

A buddy of mine has some old wall decorative panels in his house that used to be at the BA ticket counter and Terrace Lounges. The panels have the designs of BA's ill-fated Ethnic Livery, which was the best livery every created, IMHO.

[cltbwimob]

^^^They would have to reopen the station, but I don't think it's as prohibitively expensive as you think.  If so, Virgin Atlantic would have never opened stations in Detroit and Atlanta.

 

I know the typical thinking goes that their is no need for BA to open a new station in Charlotte because of the AA/BA joint venture renders the two airlines as one for all intents and purposes.  However the same logic could have been applied to Atlanta and Detroit in the case of the Delta/Virgin Atlantic joint venture, and yet Virgin Atlantic opened stations in both airports before the ink on the JV contract had dried.

 

The whole point of an airline JV is to allow partner airlines to optimize capacity and schedules on protected routes.  If US has too much capacity on the CLT-LHR route to make the route work on a double-daily basis because its aircraft types have too many seats, and British Airways has a plane that could ameliorate the problem, then the JV allows them to coordinate movements on the route to optimize the schedule and profits for both. 

 

Once again, I do not have access to the internal numbers, and there are a litany of other factors involved, but it seems like a plausible idea.

[LKN704]

^^Who knows at this point. I guess I am still surprised that BA hasn't actually launched CLT yet. They serve every other AA hub city except CLT.

[Miesian Corners]

So, based on OAG reports, it looks like US will not be making as large of cuts to the CLT-LHR winter schedule as originally reported.  Rather than an average of 10 weekly flights during the winter, it looks like the average will be closer to 12 weekly flights from November to February. 

 

I really wonder though, if they are having trouble doing a true double daily schedule with their current equipment, why not replace one of the US A330 flights with a BA 787 or 767?  Running a daily US A330-200 and a daily BA 787 or a daily US A330-300 and a daily BA 767 would give the route almost the exact same seat capacity as running the A330-300 daily and running the A330-200 5x weekly.  As a bonus, if they used the A330-200/787 combo on the route, they may be able to save some on fuel costs because the aircraft combo is significantly more efficient than the current A330-300/A330-200 combo.

 

I don't work for the airline, so I do not know all the numbers exactly, but it seems like it would be feasible.

Cargo bays are packed all year and the airline makes a killing on freight.  767 can't handle that part of the route.

[Miesian Corners]

AA will begin new non-stop service (2X daily) between CLT and Springfield, MO (SGF) on November 5.  Hooray.

[15895]

AA will begin new non-stop service (2X daily) between CLT and Springfield, MO (SGF) on November 5. Hooray.

I wouldn't hooray just yet. As the merger continues, expect these flights to be transferred to Miami. In about 3 years, 20% of flights from Charlotte will be cut with 100% being transferred to MiAAmi.

...

And we continue to add new destinations. Exactly how I thought this merger would go. Lose some longhaul, but make up for it and the some in strongholds to Legacy AA markets in the Midwest and I'd imagine hopefully some Deep south/gulf coast destinations.

[cltbwimob]

Cargo bays are packed all year and the airline makes a killing on freight.  767 can't handle that part of the route.

Interesting...I would have thought that having a smaller aircraft for the second CLT-LHR flight seven times per week would still provide better cargo capabilities than having a larger aircraft only make the trip five times per week.

 

On the route, do US and BA share profit on cargo as part of the joint venture, or does that strictly apply to passengers?

[LKN704]

If BA were to restart CLT, it would most likely be on a 777 or a 787-9. That would probably replace a A333 on the route, leaving the BA flight and a A332.

[cltbwimob]

^^^I would definitely be okay with seeing a BA777 back in town. I still remember the first time I saw one they flew back in the late 90s. It was a beauty.

[Deleted.]

You all know that it is 2x daily A330-300 right? All summer and throughout the winter.

The A330-200 moved off the route May 7th.

Edited July 6, 2015 by Piedmont767

[LKN704]

Here is an interesting document I found: http://www.ls3p.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/CDIA.pdf

 

It contains a lot of good information about past construction projects, and provides new unreleased images of the Terminal Lobby expansion. It takes a minute to load. It shows that Concourse E was designed to have an airline club and to have a ramp tower on top of the concourse.

 

I wonder if the plan to disconnect Concourse E from the Main Terminal building, along with the creation of a separate Commuter Terminal Building is still in the works.

Edited July 7, 2015 by LKN704

[Guest]

Here is an interesting document I found: http://www.ls3p.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/CDIA.pdf

 

It contains a lot of good information about past construction projects, and provides new unreleased images of the Terminal Lobby expansion. It takes a minute to load. It shows that Concourse E was designed to have an airline club and to have a ramp tower on top of the concourse.

 

I wonder if the plan to disconnect Concourse E from the Main Terminal building, along with the creation of a separate Commuter Terminal Building is still in the works.

 

droooollll

[xapostrophe]

droooollll

would love to see this document updated for the new expansion plans.

 

hopefully charlotte follows through on the new stuff and doesnt just stop...like they did with E concourse.   Wasn't there supposed to be 2 more escalators? and access to baggage claim?     I know the the expansion of E to the planned size is totally back burnered and/or scrapped.   They haven't even put jet bridges at the gates, which is fairly sickening to make passengers climb up and down stairs and hang out in the rain while boarding/deplaning.    Cheap and lazy.

 

On another note, looks like they are finally making progress on fixing the moving side walk that caught on fire almost a year ago.   That took long enough.  

[RiverwoodCLT]

would love to see this document updated for the new expansion plans.

 

hopefully charlotte follows through on the new stuff and doesnt just stop...like they did with E concourse.   Wasn't there supposed to be 2 more escalators? and access to baggage claim?     I know the the expansion of E to the planned size is totally back burnered and/or scrapped.   They haven't even put jet bridges at the gates, which is fairly sickening to make passengers climb up and down stairs and hang out in the rain while boarding/deplaning.    Cheap and lazy.

 

On another note, looks like they are finally making progress on fixing the moving side walk that caught on fire almost a year ago.   That took long enough.  

 

 

Jet bridges at the gates are needed.  I use E  and when it rains or cold it make the airport regional hub look bad.

Edited July 8, 2015 by RiverwoodCLT

[CltFlyer]

would love to see this document updated for the new expansion plans.

 

hopefully charlotte follows through on the new stuff and doesnt just stop...like they did with E concourse.   Wasn't there supposed to be 2 more escalators? and access to baggage claim?     I know the the expansion of E to the planned size is totally back burnered and/or scrapped.   They haven't even put jet bridges at the gates, which is fairly sickening to make passengers climb up and down stairs and hang out in the rain while boarding/deplaning.    Cheap and lazy.

 

On another note, looks like they are finally making progress on fixing the moving side walk that caught on fire almost a year ago.   That took long enough.  

America has created a misconception in the minds of the traveler that a jet bridge is a requirement at all airports.  That simply isn't the case.  

 

When I flew into Rome from Charlotte in 2011,. We deplaned in Rome via air stairs, and it was actually wasn't that bad.  I also know air stairs usage is very common at several European mega hubs including Frankfurt and Paris.  

 

Up until the new terminal at Doha was completed last year, ALL aircraft boarded and deplaned via air stairs.

 

The fact that all aircraft including regional jets needs a jet bridge, is simply not true.

[uptownliving]

It is in the Airport budget to acquire $7M worth of jetbridges for Concourse E within the next year. Eventually the plan is to have every gate to have a jetbridge on E.

 

Also in the airport budget is the addition of 2 more escalators for the D/E connector and the Food Court expansion. 

[xapostrophe]

It is in the Airport budget to acquire $7M worth of jetbridges for Concourse E within the next year. Eventually the plan is to have every gate to have a jetbridge on E.

 

Also in the airport budget is the addition of 2 more escalators for the D/E connector and the Food Court expansion. 

well thats relieving.

[allthingsplanes]

Random question - I saw today that after September you can no longer book direct flights from CLT to San Jose, Costa Rica.  It still shows in Wikipedia (not most reliable) as a destination and also on the US airways website as direct.  Is that flight going away?  Or is it seasonal now?

[uptownliving]

Random question - I saw today that after September you can no longer book direct flights from CLT to San Jose, Costa Rica.  It still shows in Wikipedia (not most reliable) as a destination and also on the US airways website as direct.  Is that flight going away?  Or is it seasonal now?

 

I just picked a random day in December and the Non-Stop is still showing as bookable. Sometimes this flight doesn't always run every day. Also with the switchover from US Airways to American some of the schedules have been flaky as of late.

[allthingsplanes]

Thanks.  It looks like it's only Thursdays and Saturdays, from what I see.  At least in December.  

[LKN704]

AA is launching new seasonal service from CLT to CUR (Curacao) and POP (Puerto Plata) this summer.

[cltcane]

Beat me to it.  The Saturday-only flights (both on A319s) start in mid-December.  They are bookable through early June of next year which is as far out as the schedule currently goes.  Great to see new international service added from CLT, even if it is to secondary Caribbean destinations.  I think this further proves CLT's value as a low-cost connecting hub for AA and hopefully will quiet some of the naysayers who constantly talk about how most of CLT's Caribbean routes will be transferred to MIA.

Edited July 12, 2015 by cltcane