Charlotte-Douglas Airport (CLT) Expansion

[elrodvt]

2 hours ago, JBS said:

^^

I'm sure he was referring to the half-empty cabin.  I made the bad joke about Epicentre...

What would they shop for in the epicenter though? Dental floss and Tylenol? ;-)

[jednc]

25 minutes ago, elrodvt said:

What would they shop for in the epicenter though? Dental floss and Tylenol? ;-)

Who said anything about shopping in the Epicentre?

[elrodvt]

Quote

I took the opportunity to talk to the cabin crew on the nearly empty LH CLT-MUC flight, who said they loved coming to CLT because it has great shopping, and they love the Epicentre.

You can read it either way and it's just joking around. that's what this ";-)" means.

[jednc]

2 hours ago, elrodvt said:

You can read it either way and it's just joking around. that's what this ";-)" means.

I only read it one way and your jokes are always a little Charlotte hostile.

[kickazzz2000]

was referring to the emptiness of the flight lol

Edited March 16, 2017 by kickazzz2000

[KJHburg]

Photo today of the new concourse construction and work is going great on the new 8 lane entrance area. Our airport has such great amenities the piano, the rockers, the new pet area, all the shops and restaurants. 

[15895]

I don't think our airport has great amenities or anything spectacular. It's extremely basic and low cost looking. Which is absolutely fine.

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

1 hour ago, KJHburg said:

Photo today of the new concourse construction and work is going great on the new 8 lane entrance area. Our airport has such great amenities the piano, the rockers, the new pet area, all the shops and restaurants. 

Do you have photos of the front of the existing terminal?

[elrodvt]

32 minutes ago, AirNostrumMAD said:

I don't think our airport has great amenities or anything spectacular. It's extremely basic and low cost looking. Which is absolutely fine.

I find the prices really high due to the lack of competition on so many routes. Although I suppose nice amenities wouldn't make me feel any better about that!

[KJHburg]

No photos of the front as I was rushing into the terminal and it is a major construction zone as you are aware. In terms of amenities I am talking about things like free wifi long before other airports offered it, a USO for the troops inside security, wide variety of food options at many price points and yes the rocking chairs and piano. Our airport is great and I would put it among the best among the top 10 airports. Ease of getting in and out. 

In terms of fares, it is all relative. Name another airport within a 2 hour drive that has substantially cheaper airfares. There isn't any. The airfares in GSO, GSP and RDU have risen very close to our prices but we have nonstop flights. On my flight to Dallas today I met a woman from north of Greensboro who drove down to fly out of CLT. 

[CarolinaDaydreamin]

44 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

No photos of the front as I was rushing into the terminal and it is a major construction zone as you are aware. In terms of amenities I am talking about things like free wifi long before other airports offered it, a USO for the troops inside security, wide variety of food options at many price points and yes the rocking chairs and piano. Our airport is great and I would put it among the best among the top 10 airports. Ease of getting in and out. 

In terms of fares, it is all relative. Name another airport within a 2 hour drive that has substantially cheaper airfares. There isn't any. The airfares in GSO, GSP and RDU have risen very close to our prices but we have nonstop flights. On my flight to Dallas today I met a woman from north of Greensboro who drove down to fly out of CLT. 

I live in Atlanta and think the prices are only slightly cheaper. There are WAY more things to do in ATL, as it a much larger airport, and even with knowing all the secrets to beating the lines, CLT has much better access. I think the biggest difference that no one notices it the fact that Delta is a much better Airline over American. The focus on Delta SkyClubs is amazing. If JAX can have a SkyClub CLT should have one in the new A terminal.

[LKN704]

Ease of access is fine as are food options.

Concourse D and E are nice. 

Concourses A/B/C are a dump. I'm sorry but they are rather grimy and congested, especially during peak hours. 

Don't get me wrong there are worse terminals in the US, like LGA but Concourse A/B/C are no prize. 

The other day I was flying out to JFK in the morning and Concourse B had this HORRIBLE odor throughout the gate area, like a mix of trash, onions, and a national park bathroom.

You can still maintain a low cost of enplanement and still have a decent facility. SLC is decent enough and has I think the second lowest cost of enplanement of any airport in the US. They are also building an entire new facility. 

Jerry Orr did a lot of great things for CLT. But IMHO his administration didn't care less about appearance and now we are facing the consequences.

Edited March 22, 2017 by LKN704

[deleted]

3 hours ago, LKN704 said:

Don't get me wrong there are worse terminals in the US, like LGA but Concourse A/B/C are no prize. 

Agreed but any airport in US (possibly excluding Memphis) would be better than LGA.

 

3 hours ago, LKN704 said:

Jerry Orr did a lot of great things for CLT. But IMHO his administration didn't care less about appearance and now we are facing the consequences.

Agree.  However, I think that the current administration is making up for lost time.  It's going to be a very solid airport in 5-10 years.

Edited March 22, 2017 by JBS

[papadog]

In their extensive expansion plans did they plan for a future light rail access where you could get off the train and proceed to the  terminal? I know the extra vehicle lanes are much needed but this would be a great asset to the city and could continue to the new Development by the lake...

Denver last year completed their light rail from downtown and it's 20+ miles to the airport.

[deleted]

22 minutes ago, papadog said:

In their extensive expansion plans did they plan for a future light rail access where you could get off the train and proceed to the  terminal? I know the extra vehicle lanes are much needed but this would be a great asset to the city and could continue to the new Development by the lake...

Denver last year completed their light rail from downtown and it's 20+ miles to the airport.

This is the article I referenced earlier...much less definitive than I recalled and mostly just conjecture.  So, I don't know if they are planning for a people mover or if this is what CATS is thinking:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article119947468.html

 

Edited March 22, 2017 by JBS

[caterpillar2]

21 hours ago, LKN704 said:

Ease of access is fine as are food options.

Concourse D and E are nice. 

Concourses A/B/C are a dump. I'm sorry but they are rather grimy and congested, especially during peak hours. 

Don't get me wrong there are worse terminals in the US, like LGA but Concourse A/B/C are no prize. 

The other day I was flying out to JFK in the morning and Concourse B had this HORRIBLE odor throughout the gate area, like a mix of trash, onions, and a national park bathroom.

You can still maintain a low cost of enplanement and still have a decent facility. SLC is decent enough and has I think the second lowest cost of enplanement of any airport in the US. They are also building an entire new facility. 

Jerry Orr did a lot of great things for CLT. But IMHO his administration didn't care less about appearance and now we are facing the consequences.

Jerry Orr leased the fabulous USO facility for $1.00 a year. He was a great airport manager in many ways. 

[QClifer]

My father volunteers at the USO every Thursday night and always says how many people pass through. I've heard from several people it's the nicest USO lounge in the country. Free drinks, food, couches, internet, big screen tvs, recliners. 

I didn't know Orr leased it for $1 but that's great. Hopefully it's a really long lease.  People hate on what Jerry did but I feel without him we wouldn't have the airport, number of flights we have today, etc. Airlines care more about the revenue than how nice a facility is for passengers passing through. And he was the best at keeping prices low for  USair    I believe the master plan for what is being done now was done under Orr and is just now being constructed

 

Not everything has to be brand new and perfect these days

[caterpillar2]

1 hour ago, QClifer said:

My father volunteers at the USO every Thursday night and always says how many people pass through. I've heard from several people it's the nicest USO lounge in the country. Free drinks, food, couches, internet, big screen tvs, recliners. 

I didn't know Orr leased it for $1 but that's great. Hopefully it's a really long lease.  People hate on what Jerry did but I feel without him we wouldn't have the airport, number of flights we have today, etc. Airlines care more about the revenue than how nice a facility is for passengers passing through. And he was the best at keeping prices low for  USair    I believe the master plan for what is being done now was done under Orr and is just now being constructed

 

Not everything has to be brand new and perfect these days

Yes it was Orr that leased it indefinitely I wouldn't want to be the one to end the lease if that ever happens. .   I also volunteered for a couple of years until the airport construction made getting there too much of a hassle. The Charlotte USO is known as being the second best only behind Philadelphia. There are about 350 volunteers I believe. 

[Vitamin_N]

On 3/21/2017 at 5:05 PM, elrodvt said:

I find the prices really high due to the lack of competition on so many routes. Although I suppose nice amenities wouldn't make me feel any better about that!

Just in case anybody's interested, I just happened to notice roundtrip fares of $380 for CLT-BCN this Sep/Oct. That's about as good as it gets for flights to Europe from here.

[CLT704]

14 minutes ago, Vitamin_N said:

Just in case anybody's interested, I just happened to notice roundtrip fares of $380 for CLT-BCN this Sep/Oct. That's about as good as it gets for flights to Europe from here.

Wish I could get that for London flights; I am now routinely flying Delta via Atlanta because it is so much cheaper- my next flight to the UK was $800 cheaper on Delta than the nonstop.

[CLT2014]

12 minutes ago, CLT704 said:

Wish I could get that for London flights; I am now routinely flying Delta via Atlanta because it is so much cheaper- my next flight to the UK was $800 cheaper on Delta than the nonstop.

Vice versa if you are in Atlanta, it is often cheaper to make a connection in a place like CLT than take the nonstops to London. Airlines typically charge more for nonstops from most cities.

May 5th to May 10th for example from Atlanta:
It is $510 roundtrip for a one stop from Atlanta via Charlotte on American (the cheapest fare)
The nonstop from Atlanta to LHR is $1,305 on Delta, $932 on British Airways

Those same dates from Charlotte:
The cheapest fare from Charlotte on those dates is a one stop in Atlanta for $501 on Delta
A nonstop to LHR from CLT on those dates is $1,303

So AA and Delta basically swap passengers. They price their one stop at half the price as their nonstops. Some Atlanta people are connecting in CLT to save $ and some Charlotte people are connecting in ATL to save money. The business travelers cough up and pay for the nonstop at fully refundable fares (and drive demand on the route).

Edited March 23, 2017 by CLT2014

[tozmervo]

1 hour ago, Vitamin_N said:

Just in case anybody's interested, I just happened to notice roundtrip fares of $380 for CLT-BCN this Sep/Oct. That's about as good as it gets for flights to Europe from here.

I hate you for pointing this out, I can't squeeze in another trip this year and I haven't been to Barcelona yet!

[AppState92]

Thanks for the info on CLT-BCN.  I've been wanting to go to Barcelona, but have been waiting for cheap fares.  I can't pass up those prices!

[Matthew.Brendan]

Funny, Barcelona has been on top of my wife's list for a long while now! Here we go!

[KJHburg]

In terms of the USO-NC I volunteer there too but mainly now at new satellite location but it is the 4th busiest USO in the country. Because NC is the 4th largest state with a military presence most of the active military flying to any NC or SC bases flies through CLT. Our most popular flights at the USO are Jacksonville, New Bern, Fayetteville, Savannah, Norfolk etc. In fact Fort Jackson the army base in Columbia buses all its it troops in training up to CLT when the base closes around Christmas. It is called Operation Exodus and there are 1000s flying all over the country home during that time.  It is well ;publicized around mid December.  The USO in CLT is in the old British Airways club and then they took over some Lufthansa offices when they moved off site. Anyone will tell you it is was on the nicest USO airport centers in the country. I have had people tell me they request to fly through CLT to layover at our center. The USO serves the active duty military and retired military.  It is a GREAT asset to CLT.  If you want to learn more message me privately. I have been a volunteer for about 10 years. 

Edited March 24, 2017 by KJHburg