Charlotte-Douglas Airport (CLT) Expansion

[HopHead]

^Hello, 21st century Charlotte Airport!

[saam14]

So is this renovation only for B? On the second two pictures it showed concourse A gates as well as an American sign in the second picture showing concourse A gates implying that American will have operations there... 

[elrodvt]

Awesome featuring a wendy's and cinnabun but nothing about work areas etc. so retro.

[HopHead]

10 minutes ago, elrodvt said:

Awesome featuring a wendy's and cinnabun but nothing about work areas etc. so retro.

This is what's in scope: http://www.northcarolinabids.com/government-agencies/mecklenburg/charlotte-douglas-international-airport-clt-center-664206/7690252-clt-concourse-b-renovations.html

New holdroom seating and electrical floor boxes are part of the requirements. I'm sure someone that is better versed in this sort of stuff can decipher what all of it means, but it at least sounds like more modernization of the areas around the gates. 

[elrodvt]

51 minutes ago, HopHead said:

This is what's in scope: http://www.northcarolinabids.com/government-agencies/mecklenburg/charlotte-douglas-international-airport-clt-center-664206/7690252-clt-concourse-b-renovations.html

New holdroom seating and electrical floor boxes are part of the requirements. I'm sure someone that is better versed in this sort of stuff can decipher what all of it means, but it at least sounds like more modernization of the areas around the gates. 

Thanks for that. Too bad they could not raise the ceiling, put in open work areas, and make it environmentally sound. I would not say "hello 21'st century" till we hear more. Sounds 20'th to me. I know they need to keep costs low though and "floor boxes" does sound promising for the gate area at least.

[HopHead]

19 minutes ago, elrodvt said:

Thanks for that. Too bad they could not raise the ceiling, put in open work areas, and make it environmentally sound. I would not say "hello 21'st century" till we hear more. Sounds 20'th to me. I know they need to keep costs low though and "floor boxes" does sound promising for the gate area at least.

My comment about the 21st century was about the look of the renovations. Not so much what enhancements were being made with respect to workspaces or high speed phone chargers. Even if they got to 2007, it's still the 21st century

[uptownliving]

I like the colors and materials they chose for the renovation...but yeah the problems with A, B, and C is that they are too narrow and short. The new design will likely play with the mind to make the space feel larger...but the only time you see as few people in the airport as you do in those renderings is the overnight hours between last flight and first flight.

I can only imagine what a clusterphuck its going to be during the renovation.

Edited April 24, 2017 by uptownliving

[LKN704]

I seriously hope that the signage in the photos is just a placeholder. Not that anyone pays attention or that it matters but IIRC CLT is working with (and paying) a major design firm to redo terminal signage. 

I forget the firms name but I know they did Changi's signage, which is nice. 

[skymiler]

Looks like ATL concourses to me.

[xapostrophe]

8 hours ago, tozmervo said:

From the bid package, Concourse B renovation is bidding this May. Council approval expected in June, with actual construction work starting after Labor Day. Work is supposed to be complete by November 2018.

1 million years later.

[cjd5050]

15 hours ago, uptownliving said:

but the only time you see as few people in the airport as you do in those renderings is the overnight hours between last flight and first flight.

I wonder if a different layout would help things.  Seems like the rows of seating like this and most airports is pretty inefficient.  

Maybe a row of high top seating, with chairs fixed and only on the window side could do some good.  Wonder if this has been studied before.  

[KJHburg]

CLT is the 2nd cheapest of the larger NC airports after RDU according to this study. PTI is higher and this might explain on my last 2 flights were people from the Triad area (north of Greensboro and Asheboro).  However little Concord is cheapest commercial airport in the state all due to Allegiant http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2017/04/26/ranked-which-major-north-carolina-airports-have.html?ana=e_ae_set1&s=article_du&ed=2017-04-26&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1493235355&j=78034041

[saam14]

40 minutes ago, KJHburg said:

CLT is the 2nd cheapest of the larger NC airports after RDU according to this study. PTI is higher and this might explain on my last 2 flights were people from the Triad area (north of Greensboro and Asheboro).  However little Concord is cheapest commercial airport in the state all due to Allegiant http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2017/04/26/ranked-which-major-north-carolina-airports-have.html?ana=e_ae_set1&s=article_du&ed=2017-04-26&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1493235355&j=78034041

The solution for Charotte to become even cheaper would be for Allegiant to move to CLT from Concord when the new concourse is done... still have never understood the point of airline service to Concord. 

[LKN704]

Rumor has it that AA may add a third daily CLT-LHR flight as a result of acquiring two extra LHR slots from SAS.

[kickazzz2000]

7 minutes ago, LKN704 said:

Rumor has it that AA may add a third daily CLT-LHR flight as a result of acquiring two extra LHR slots from SAS.

Would be nice to have one of those on BA

[CLT704]

Whilst I really hope it is (and I think we are in the running)! It is unusual for AA to rotate an A330 to Phoenix during the peak summer seasons- makes me wary that the slot is going to PHX.

Edited April 27, 2017 by CLT704

[LKN704]

I believe BA is running a second daily flight to PHX this summer. I don't think it is daily-I think it may run only 3 days a week.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised. I hear BA makes a killing on the PHX route. It's amazing that the nation's 12th largest metropolitan area only has one transoceanic flight, though PHX is a market unlike any other metro area.

They could always give one slot to CLT and one to PHX. That would give all AA hubs at least three daily flights to LHR.

In other news, AA is deferring the delivery of their first A350 until 2020. While it isn't official or printed, I guess this means that AA will be holding onto their A333s for some time longer and CLT will be stuck with the A333s for the time being.

[HopHead]

Having a 3rd daily flight from Charlotte to London-Heathrow would be huge for the airport. Especially when it comes to attracting European and/or UK based companies. BA would be nice, but wouldn't bank on it. 

[KJHburg]

Triangle Business Journal did some price comparisons on ;popular flights from CLT RDU and GSO is it just me as I don't see much savings at all? I would drive to ATL if that was my destination anyway http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/news/2017/04/28/by-the-numbers-how-rdu-stacks-up-in-pricing.html?ana=e_ae_set1&s=article_du&ed=2017-04-28&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1493407939&j=78052421  If this article was trying prove how cheap it is vs CLT I think it failed. 

[LKN704]

I've often considered driving to Atlanta when flying to South America and Asia due to the availability of flying nonstop. But the 3 hour drive always serves as a mental barrier stopping me. If there were a high speed train connecting CLT and ATL, I would totally do it. 

Regarding the slots I spoke of above, AA bought the slots from SAS and is leasing them back to SAS for the time being. So no new LHR frequencies from CLT. 

That said, should Alitalia go under, I could see AA trying to get those slots as well. 

Edited April 28, 2017 by LKN704

[cltcane]

AA is adding an additional daily flight to PDX (Portland, OR), SMF (Sacramento), OKC (Oklahoma City), TUL (Tulsa), LIT (Little Rock), XNA (Fayetteville/Bentonville, AR), and SGF (Springfield/Brandon, MO) this summer.  Great to see CLT get more service to the West Coast and the Midwest. Hopefully SJC (San Jose) becomes year-round and ICT (Wichita) finally gets added.

[Vitamin_N]

On 4/28/2017 at 5:55 PM, LKN704 said:

I've often considered driving to Atlanta when flying to South America and Asia due to the availability of flying nonstop. But the 3 hour drive always serves as a mental barrier stopping me. If there were a high speed train connecting CLT and ATL, I would totally do it. 

Regarding the slots I spoke of above, AA bought the slots from SAS and is leasing them back to SAS for the time being. So no new LHR frequencies from CLT. 

That said, should Alitalia go under, I could see AA trying to get those slots as well. 

I did that once when flying the family to central America on account of a low, nonstop fare. It's not a whole lot of fun driving back home after the return flight, but on the other hand it's nice not having to go through customs & immigration in Miami. I'd be open to doing it again if the price is right.

[HopHead]

10 hours ago, cltcane said:

AA is adding an additional daily flight to PDX (Portland, OR), SMF (Sacramento), OKC (Oklahoma City), TUL (Tulsa), LIT (Little Rock), XNA (Fayetteville/Bentonville, AR), and SGF (Springfield/Brandon, MO) this summer.  Great to see CLT get more service to the West Coast and the Midwest. Hopefully SJC (San Jose) becomes year-round and ICT (Wichita) finally gets added.

Well damn. Good to see all those routes are adding frequencies.  I flew out last night and the Sacramento gate was next to mine. It was full. Agree that it would be nice to see San Jose become year round. Makes too much sense. I would also like to add Colorado Springs to that list as well. 

[LKN704]

3 hours ago, Vitamin_N said:

I did that once when flying the family to central America on account of a low, nonstop fare. It's not a whole lot of fun driving back home after the return flight, but on the other hand it's nice not having to go through customs & immigration in Miami. I'd be open to doing it again if the price is right.

Right! I'm going to Cape Town next January, and I was looking at driving to Atlanta and then flying the Delta nonstop to Johannesburg and then connecting to a British Airways flight in Joburg to Cape Town. I was going to use Amex points for the Delta flight and then pay for the British Airways flight from Joburg to Cape Town. The price was VERY reasonable. I'm fine on long haul flights. I've done SFO-HKG, NYC-HKG, DFW-SYD before no problem, all in Economy. It isn't the drive to Atlanta that bothers me, its the drive home. The idea of flying nonstop for 17 hours then landing at 6am and driving back to Charlotte leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

 

2 hours ago, HopHead said:

Well damn. Good to see all those routes are adding frequencies.  I flew out last night and the Sacramento gate was next to mine. It was full. Agree that it would be nice to see San Jose become year round. Makes too much sense. I would also like to add Colorado Springs to that list as well. 

I could see CLT-COS with an E175.

The only city in the West coast that we lack service to is SNA. US had planned to start both CLT and PHL to SNA with a 752 a couple of years back, but never received the slots for it. The problem with SNA is the lack of available slots. The route would have to be flown with a 738 or 752 due to the runway at SNA.

[caterpillar2]

On 4/8/2017 at 2:29 AM, xapostrophe said:

Charlotte is awful.  Operationally its absurd.  The ramp, taxi and runway/terminal configuration is awful.  one way traffic, tight alley ways are an incredible way to waste some time.  The inside of a b c leaves a lot to be desired.  should have been updated at least 15 years ago.  the bathrooms all smell like old pee.  I can go on.

My guess is that you haven't been to JFK, Boston, or many other numerous airports. I see nothing wrong with Charlotte. The restaurant availability is good, the concourses  are clean and certainly on par or above, and the bathrooms are clean with attendants. I don't know what bathroom you used, but it must have been after someone with bladder disease peed. What exactly are you referring to when you say "a b c leaves a lot to be desired?" Additionally, what is one way? I thought that all runways were one way with a big green area in between. What alley ways?  I am just curious. I mostly travel from Clt direct to Europe and sometimes go through other places. I see nothing wrong. I think the Charlotte airport is quite nice and I absolutely love the USO which I use if there is a delay or long wait. It is know as the second best airport  USO facility in the U.S. Saying "Charlotte is awful" needs some clarification and specifics. Sounds like personal grudge or 'airport envy' to me. There are likely more desirable airports around the world but Charlotte certainly is satisfactory and overall has one of the best on-time records in the U.S.