Nice to see some new furniture in the C/D Admirals Club:

https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Ph...IMG_4606-L.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/Travel/Ph...IMG_4607-L.jpg

Finally, we have a fuller sense of what's planned for the new renovations. Looking forward to the new terminal opening, better restaurants, art that better represents Charlotte, and NO MORE CARPET!

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/new...175513801.html

"By 2024, the airport plans to widen concourses B and C by pushing the walls out." This is desperately needed--the sooner the better--they are so crowded with people spilling out of the cramped gate space, it's often hard to make your way through them.

Perfect! Only seven more years :eek:

Yeah. It's sad when I stop wondering whether I will still be elite by then and start wondering whether I will even be alive!

Direct to Asia
 

So I just moved to CLT in the past few months. I've done extensive traveling through Europe and would love to start knocking out Asia soon but it's hard with AA boxing out most other carriers and not having direct flights. I've heard AA is not interested in ever adding Asia direct flights from CLT. Why is this? Surely there's enough demand with Bank of America, wells Fargo, and Duke Energy to have a 1-2 times weekly flight somewhere west of Cali. Do we really think they'll never add Asia direct service?

Wont be any time soon. Demand is not there plus you can 1 stop connect in Chicago, LA, or Dallas.

Not happening. It's worth noting that MIA and JFK also don't have Asia flights, and these are cities with way MORE O/D traffic than CLT. Not too long ago, 80% of passengers departing CLT were connecting from a previous flight. That's probably changed somewhat in the last several years since the city's exploded in growth, but probably not enough to justify adding a TPAC flight over MIA, PHL, or JFK.

What is a source of continual frustration is the lack of foreign carriers operating out if CLT. All these middle-sized cities are getting a ton of European legacy and budget carriers moving in and CLT gets bupkis. We've got the LH flight to Munich (which I've taken several times and is great), but that's all. AA's international service out of CLT was a blessing at first, but it's stifled competition and is now a curse. MIA and ORD get sub $400 r/t fares to destination cities. In CLT, it's pay $1,300 or get lost. :mad:

For those that actually fly to and from CLT they are shifting the Commercial arrival (lower level) traffic to new lanes at 11pm tonight. Personal vehicle traffic is not currently affected. However in 2018 when Phase 2 of the new elevated roadway is complete they will shift personal vehicle arrivals to new lanes.

More info here: https://www.facebook.com/cltairport/

I'd imagine that foreign subsidies have something to do with the lack of service overseas.

You can read more here: http://www.openandfairskies.com/

More here: https://news.delta.com/seven-us-sena...ies-agreements

Agreed. For my TATL (leisure) trips, it's been cheaper to buy separate tickets to JFK and fly out a foreign carrier from there.

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I feel like they could do something better with the money that they are planning to use to "raise the ceiling a foot." I just don't really see what good that's going to do. Almost nobody is even going to notice that change IMO.

I hope they plan on making a bigger restroom near the D gates. It's so odd how small the bathroom is right next to international departures. with 250+ seat planes departing all around 4-6pm.

... like improving the baggage service off of the E concourse. I flew AA today back to CLT just to keep my AA account active and not have my miles expire.

Anyway, landed on E and it took 40 minutes for AA to get my bags out to me after landing. After inquiring with the baggage agents after about 25 minutes I was told it could take, and often does take, an hour or more! This is an unacceptable amount of time to deliver bags. I'm thankful that I only fly AA on the rarest of occasion. AA should strive for better.

Ahem ...

https://www.usatoday.com/story/today...bags/25232833/

We're not Texas but CLT is at 60 handguns found at TSA checkpoints (so far) this year ....

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/2-loa...port/495495542

I was just told by AAdvantage Desk that MCT for flights from international connecting to domestic is 2 hours. Might need to update the wiki if someone else's experience lines to this.