Charlotte has some of the nation’s highest airfares. It’s a tradeoff – the city gets a lot more air service than it would support on its own. American Airlines operates a major connecting hub, and dominates the airport. With 68% of Charlotte passengers connecting, locals get a lot of non-stop options than their city would normally support – but little competition.
American likes the airport not just for its geography but also its costs. The place is cheap to operate at, but those low costs also align with a miserable passenger experience. The airport is a pit. And for me it’s also where connections go to die.
The airport wasn’t built for the volume of traffic it gets. The corridors are packed body to body with passengers. The American Airlines clubs aren’t much better, with the main one still in the old US Airways design despite a six month renovation (that didn’t fix poor kitchen conditions, either).
This airport has some of the longest walks outside of Salt Lake City. Arrive on a regional jet on the E concourse and you can easily be looking at 15 minute walks to a connection, or longer when people movers are broken and they are frequently broken.
The physical infrastructure of the Charlotte airport simply cannot support its American Airlines hub operation. Yet solving would drive up costs – in a way that American Airlines would not abide. So, this:
The airline sells 35 minute connections for those flights, too. It’s technically possible to make it from one flight to another even coming from a regional jet at E, where you first need to wait for your carry on bags to be delivered planeside (those Bombardier regional jets don’t have overhead bin space to fit a standard rollaboard). If you hoof it over you may arrive at your connection before doors close. But not always. It really depends on what runway you land on.
When it doesn’t involve those regional jets on the E concourse you’ll find 30 minute connections. To be clear: these are purchased voluntarily and someone like me knows what I am getting into by booking one. If your inbound aircraft gets caught in an alleyway, all bets are off. Or if your first flight has a short delay, your connection goes away.
The @CLTAirport is a miracle of modern engineering in that it’s been under (re)construction for a decade & the more they do the WORSE it seems to get; with everything designed in a way that if the slightest thing goes wrong the entire facility collapses into chaos. pic.twitter.com/9emtE4D6g9
— David Fleming (@FlemFile) July 8, 2024
Passengers, though, have new legal protections to allow them to endure the suffering of the Charlotte airport.
Three years ago American Airlines was trying to get the Charlotte airport to stamp out ‘to go’ alcohol sales.
Chief Operating Officer David Seymour shared the plan for what’s next: getting government to crack down on airport alcohol sales. He says that they’ve already gotten Dallas – Fort Worth airport to ban alcohol to go from restaurants. However they’ve been pushing on Charlotte to eliminate the practice, they’re “shutting down as much as they can,” but vendors there are resistant. That’s why they’ve engaged their government affairs team “trying to crack down.”
Now airport vendors have state law backing to sell alcohol to go:
Other alcohol law changes:
ABC stores can now sell gift cards.
ABC stores can be open on New Year's Day, July 4 and Labor Day
It allows airport vendors to sell drinks that can be carried around the terminal
Pickleball clubs can now serve alcohol
Beer and wine can be sold at…— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) July 8, 2024
You can drink while ‘walking around’ or, I suppose, while rocking in a rocking chair. And you’re then more likely to bring that booze on board and serve yourself.
During the pandemic this was a huge problem because American Airlines (and other airlines) stopped selling alcohol in coach so passengers pregamed and brought their own to drink on board, despite rules to the contrary. That problem has lessened with the return of alcohol sales. But selling alcohol for passengers to take with them often does not end well.
I live in Charlotte and fly via CLT frequently, and it has to be the worst hub in the USA. The airport always conveys a doom and gloom feel, like one of those Sci-Fi Movies — where as the Meteor approaches — everyone is trying to escape before impact!
Never been to the Charlotte airport in the U.S. at all,so can’t really say much on this
I hate American Airlines!!!!
They are the most undependable airline there is.
Recently flew in and out of CLT .
It was very difficult to find the baggage claim area. The airport was packed with very little seating. Airport signs were difficult to see from a distance.
Doesn’t make me want to use that airport again. Worst experience ever
CLT used to be a wonderful airport. I wonder when they are ever going to finish the remodel. As far as adding excessive alcohol to the stress of traveling, what a disaster. Nothing like an out of control drunk to make your flight miserable.I feel especially sorry for flight attendants these days. They should get hazard pay.
Great, now you can look forward to having a shoulder to shoulder crowded CLT, packed with a rowdy DRUNK bunch in the midst.
If the place is already miserable, why not add to the misery by making it dangerous too?.
Currently at CLT and this article couldn’t be more true! Overcrowded, delayed, and run down. The booze helped lol
Charlotte resident since 1997. The airport is a metaphor for the high growth, slow to catch-up infrastructure that is not unusual in the southeast.. Its really unfortunate because its such as great city, but we torture our connecting passengers. and even our originating passengers. There is no easy solution and the constant renovation are not addressing the overall poor design starting with the edition of the E gate some 15 years ago. For people like me my goal is to minimize time in the airport (never even think about going to the AA lounges because you will never find a seat). Sure you take some risks “cutting it close” but if im in the main concourse less than 20 mins or so, it’s a win.