New domestic concourse at CLT
 

I figured you all might be more interested in this than my cohorts over on the DL forum, but exciting news for those who transit through CLT!

It looks like the plan for the new international terminal off concourse A at CLT is on hold, and they're building a new concourse in its place. Very smart move for incremental growth, IMO.

Do you think this is just to add more non-US/AA gates, or will US/AA likely take some of the existing A gates?

I wonder they'll call the new concourse. Logically, it would become the A concourse (with the current counter-clockwise A-B-C-etc. naming convention). I don't see them renaming every concourse, though, so the new concourse will probably be gates A13-20/24, no?

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/201...l#.U39p46xOWAg

I'd also expect a new checkpoint over on that side of the departure level, or at least an expansion of the current A checkpoint.

Personally it think it is a bad economically move if the don't at least build it up to international gate standards with access to customs. I understand the may have got tipped that their is going to be minimal international growth with the merger, but during peak Euro departure times during the summer several wide body aircraft are forced to use the B gates because of arriving Caribbean narrow bodies.

If they build this terminal re actively for domestic flights they might regret it 10-15 years down the road. But that's just my two cent.

But you're assuming the message was "minimal international growth", when in fact the message may have been a significant "reduction" in international flights. Seems unlikely that if in fact CLT is scaled back internationally, that it would be revived in some reasonable future to justify the added construction costs, which as a fortress hub, would have to be primarily borne by AA.

Part of a new domestic terminal could replace domestic use of D-con and D-con becoming international only.

Jim

:confused:

The D concourse is international only, no domestic flights from D. As customs and immigration is below Concourse D only international flights may arrive at D and if the aircraft is being used for a domestic flight (like a A330 arriving from LHR then going to PHL) will be towed to B.

Nah, I've had probably over a hundred domestic widebody departures over the years from D, mostly on CLT-PHL, but not limited to that. This has happened to me twice in the past two weeks, with US 830 on CLT-PHL on an A332 out of D10.

B6 operates out of D also....

They might regret it even more if they spend away the cost advantage CLT has vs. other airports.

This is correct info unless something changed since I retired.

A US Guide to CLT (The Charlotte airport)
 

Lots of domestic flights out of D. Those airplanes come in from the islands, Mexico, and other international destinations and fly a domestic flight afterwards. Lots of domestic arrivals on D as well, with the next flight departing to international destinations.

I would like to apologise for being wrong. I have worked a CLT-MCO flight departing from D. However it is only because it is either A) Before the summer international rush or B) Before all the international flights to Europe and South America depart, as when the A330s are being prepared they block the gates either side of the aircraft so D is normally full of heavies going to Europe or Brazil.

Also if the aircraft is doing a PHL-CLT-CUN run, it will arrive at B, be towed to D and depart to Cancun. If it is the morning, lets say an A332 is doing a GRU-CLT-PHL run, it will arrive and depart from D because it is before the afternoon international rush and there are no other international flights arriving or departing before 9:00 after the plane has left for Philly.

This may be anecdotal, but I think the free Wifi works better in the food court area. Last month I had a miserable time using the Wifi at Gate C2 and C3 and then this weekend I tried it again sitting in a rocking chair by the food court and it actually worked pretty well.

I have a 4 hour layover, any ideas what to do? I am flying Business any good lounges?