Charlotte airport is
nation's fastest growing
US Airways' growth, lower fares bring 9,300 additional passengers a day
STEVE HARRISON
[email protected]
Fueled by cutbacks at other hubs and growth in local passenger traffic, Charlotte/Douglas International Airport has become the fastest-growing major airport in the country.
As recently as a year ago, passenger traffic was stagnant as US Airways, Charlotte's dominant carrier, had reduced flights after its merger with America West. But now US Airways and other airlines are growing rapidly, and the airport handled 9,300 additional passengers a day on average in the past six months.
"Booming is an understatement," said aviation director Jerry Orr, who added that he hasn't seen passenger traffic grow this much in his three decades at the airport.
The airport began adding passengers rapidly in the fall.
In the six months ending in February, the airport handled 1.7 million additional passengers -- a growth rate of 13 percent compared with the same period ending in February 2006. In that time, the only other American airport that added more passengers was New York's Kennedy Airport (2.1 million passengers), although it grew at a slower rate (11.2 percent).
In the aftermath of the US Airways-America West merger in the fall of 2005, the new airline grounded more than 60 planes in an effort to make its supply of seats better match demand. That reduced the number of seats out of Charlotte.
But at the same time, the new US Airways management reduced fares from Charlotte, which had historically been one of the nation's most expensive airports. The lower fares attracted more local passengers to fly from Charlotte rather than driving to Greensboro or Greenville-Spartanburg. In addition, passengers from those cities began driving to Charlotte in search of a deal as fares increased, especially from Greensboro's Piedmont-Triad International Airport.
In the third quarter of 2006, local boardings increased by 16.5 percent over the same quarter in 2005. In the fourth quarter, they were up 14.6 percent over the same quarter a year earlier.
Millard Bell, who works for PrimeFlight Aviation Service, monitors traffic and writes tickets at Charlotte/Douglas in the arrivals area.
"It usually takes a month to finish writing a book of 25 tickets," Bell said Tuesday. "Now it's taking me only two weeks."
US Airways is bringing 49 new ticket and gate agents to Charlotte -- an increase of more than 10 percent -- to expedite long lines in the terminal and at gates.
Meanwhile, Delta reduced capacity in Atlanta, its biggest hub. That has driven up prices in Atlanta and so pushed more connecting passengers to Charlotte, US Airways President Scott Kirby believes.
US Airways has slowly added flights in Charlotte. It has added an additional daily flight to Phoenix and Las Vegas, and increased service to Florida this spring.
US Airways is slated to have about 52,000 daily seats out of Charlotte this summer, an increase from about 48,000 a year ago.
The growth has made Orr reconsider long-term airport expansion plans, which already include a new 9,000 foot runway, the airport's fourth. The airport is building six new gates onto one wing of Concourse E, which is used by US Airways Express. Orr recently decided to build an additional two gates, with construction starting this summer.
In the fall, the airport will begin building a 12-gate extension to the other wing of Concourse E.
Orr also has been considering building a new concourse on the site of rental car lots, north of Concourse A. Though there are no firm plans yet, the recent traffic growth could fast-track those plans, Orr said.
"I think it will come up sooner," Orr said.
The problem, Orr said, is it would be difficult to give up the space occupied by rental cars. Orr said he has considered demolishing the hourly parking garages closest to the terminal and replacing them with larger garages. Those garages would include space for rental cars.
nation's fastest growing
US Airways' growth, lower fares bring 9,300 additional passengers a day
STEVE HARRISON
[email protected]
Fueled by cutbacks at other hubs and growth in local passenger traffic, Charlotte/Douglas International Airport has become the fastest-growing major airport in the country.
As recently as a year ago, passenger traffic was stagnant as US Airways, Charlotte's dominant carrier, had reduced flights after its merger with America West. But now US Airways and other airlines are growing rapidly, and the airport handled 9,300 additional passengers a day on average in the past six months.
"Booming is an understatement," said aviation director Jerry Orr, who added that he hasn't seen passenger traffic grow this much in his three decades at the airport.
The airport began adding passengers rapidly in the fall.
In the six months ending in February, the airport handled 1.7 million additional passengers -- a growth rate of 13 percent compared with the same period ending in February 2006. In that time, the only other American airport that added more passengers was New York's Kennedy Airport (2.1 million passengers), although it grew at a slower rate (11.2 percent).
In the aftermath of the US Airways-America West merger in the fall of 2005, the new airline grounded more than 60 planes in an effort to make its supply of seats better match demand. That reduced the number of seats out of Charlotte.
But at the same time, the new US Airways management reduced fares from Charlotte, which had historically been one of the nation's most expensive airports. The lower fares attracted more local passengers to fly from Charlotte rather than driving to Greensboro or Greenville-Spartanburg. In addition, passengers from those cities began driving to Charlotte in search of a deal as fares increased, especially from Greensboro's Piedmont-Triad International Airport.
In the third quarter of 2006, local boardings increased by 16.5 percent over the same quarter in 2005. In the fourth quarter, they were up 14.6 percent over the same quarter a year earlier.
Millard Bell, who works for PrimeFlight Aviation Service, monitors traffic and writes tickets at Charlotte/Douglas in the arrivals area.
"It usually takes a month to finish writing a book of 25 tickets," Bell said Tuesday. "Now it's taking me only two weeks."
US Airways is bringing 49 new ticket and gate agents to Charlotte -- an increase of more than 10 percent -- to expedite long lines in the terminal and at gates.
Meanwhile, Delta reduced capacity in Atlanta, its biggest hub. That has driven up prices in Atlanta and so pushed more connecting passengers to Charlotte, US Airways President Scott Kirby believes.
US Airways has slowly added flights in Charlotte. It has added an additional daily flight to Phoenix and Las Vegas, and increased service to Florida this spring.
US Airways is slated to have about 52,000 daily seats out of Charlotte this summer, an increase from about 48,000 a year ago.
The growth has made Orr reconsider long-term airport expansion plans, which already include a new 9,000 foot runway, the airport's fourth. The airport is building six new gates onto one wing of Concourse E, which is used by US Airways Express. Orr recently decided to build an additional two gates, with construction starting this summer.
In the fall, the airport will begin building a 12-gate extension to the other wing of Concourse E.
Orr also has been considering building a new concourse on the site of rental car lots, north of Concourse A. Though there are no firm plans yet, the recent traffic growth could fast-track those plans, Orr said.
"I think it will come up sooner," Orr said.
The problem, Orr said, is it would be difficult to give up the space occupied by rental cars. Orr said he has considered demolishing the hourly parking garages closest to the terminal and replacing them with larger garages. Those garages would include space for rental cars.
The just want you on the plane. They really couldn't care how or when you get to the airport. As for the big jump in traffic at CLT I was just thinking to myself walking from one gate to another how crowded it is. That place has been packed beyond belief lately. I guess it's a case of if you put the flights there they will come. Hmmmm I wonder why that didn't work somewhere else? 
