Charlotte Douglas International Airport

This article is about the airport in Charlotte, North Carolina. For municipal airports with the same name, see Douglas Municipal Airport (disambiguation). For international airports with the same name, see Douglas International Airport (disambiguation).

Charlotte Douglas International Airport
File:CharlotteDouglas International Airport Logo.svg
IATA: CLT ICAO: KCLT FAA LID: CLT WMO: 72314
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	City of Charlotte
Operator	Charlotte Aviation Department
Serves	Charlotte metropolitan area
Location	Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Hub for	US Airways
Elevation AMSL	748 ft / 228 m
Website	www.charlotteairport.com
Map
CLT Location within North Carolina
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 18L/36R 8,676 2,644 Asphalt/Concrete 18C/36C 10,000 3,048 Concrete 18R/36L 9,000 2,743 Concrete 5/23 7,502 2,287 Asphalt/Concrete Unknown 12,000 (Planned) 3,657 (Planned) Asphalt/Concrete
Statistics (2012)
Passengers 41,228,372 Aircraft operations 552,093
Source: Federal Aviation Administration. Passenger statistics from CLT.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (IATA: CLT, ICAO: KCLT, FAA LID: CLT) is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr. The airport gained its current name in 1982 and is currently US Airways' largest hub, with service to 175 domestic and international destinations as of 2008. In 2009, it was the 9th busiest airport in the United States In 2010, Charlotte was the 6th busiest airport in the world, based on traffic movements, and in 2012 it was the 23rd busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic. Charlotte Douglas International is the busiest airport in the United States without nonstop service to Asia.

History

United States Geological Survey (USGS) aerial image before 18R/36L was built.

The early years

The city received a $200,000 grant from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1930 to establish Charlotte's first municipal airport.

In 1936 the Charlotte Municipal Airport opened, operated by the City of Charlotte; Eastern Air Lines began scheduled passenger service in 1937. The original passenger terminal still exists at Fenway Sports Group's Boeing 727 parking area. (FSG's North American motorsport venture, Roush Fenway Racing, is based in the old terminal).

The United States Army Air Forces took control of the airport and established Morris Field Air Base in 1941. The airfield was used by the Third Air Force for antisubmarine patrols and training.

Aerial view circa 1946

1950 to mid-1960s: into the jet age

In 1954 a 70,000-square-foot (6,500 m²) passenger terminal opened and the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport in honor of former Charlotte Mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr. The terminal had two floors, though passenger operations were confined to the ground floor. Ticketing and baggage claim were on each side of an open space which bisected the building from north to south, and a mezzanine restaurant and airline offices overlooked this open space. Delta Air Lines began scheduled passenger service in 1956. The OAG for April 1957 shows 57 weekday departures on Eastern, 7 Piedmont, 6 Capital, 4 Delta and 2 Southern. Nonstop flights did not reach beyond Newark, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Louisville, Birmingham and Jacksonville.

Airport diagram for 1955

Eastern Air Lines began scheduled jet flights with the Boeing 720 in early 1962. Eastern used the west pier, Piedmont and Delta the center pier, and United and Southern used the east pier.

Late 1960s to 1978: growth pre-deregulation

A major renovation project in the late 1960s expanded the facility considerably. Eastern opened a 'unit terminal' in 1967, replacing the old west pier. This new facility had 8 dedicated gates for Eastern, each with its own departure lounge, as well as a snack bar and separate baggage claim space. Eastern passengers continued to check in at the main terminal.

Two years later in 1969, a new enclosed concourse was built parallel to the center pier. When it was completed, Piedmont, Eastern and Delta moved in and the old center pier was demolished. The new concourse also had separate departure lounges, as well as restrooms and an enlarged baggage claim area. United's flights continued to the use the east pier, although an enclosed holdroom was added for waiting passengers.

In 1973, Eastern added two more gates to the end of its west concourse.

1978 to 1989: becoming a major hub

After airline deregulation in 1978, passenger numbers at the terminal nearly doubled between 1978 and 1980, and a new 10,000-foot (3,000 m) parallel runway and control tower opened in 1979. The airport's master plan called for a new terminal across the runway from the existing site, and ground was broken in 1979.

In 1979 Piedmont Airlines chose Charlotte as the hub for its expanding route network. To accommodate booming growth, a new 325,000-square-foot (30,200 m²) passenger terminal designed by Odell Associates opened in 1982, and the airport was renamed Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Concourses B and C were expanded in 1987 and 1984 respectively, while Concourse A was built in 1986 to handle future growth

In 1987 Piedmont started non-stop 767 flights to London.

In the mid-1980s the old terminal site was converted to a cargo center, and the central concourse and Eastern 'unit terminal' were removed to make way for more cargo buildings. The original main building still stands and is used for office space. The old control tower was removed in the late 1990s.

In 1989 Piedmont merged with USAir; the new merged operations kept the USAir name.

1990 to 2004: the influence of US Airways

US Airways jets at CLT in 1998 in the former USAir livery

Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 on final approach to runway 18C

The central atrium of the passenger terminal building

In 1990, a new 80,000-square-foot (7,400 m²) international and commuter concourse (Concourse D) opened, and in 1991 further expansion of the central terminal building continued, reflective of USAir's dominating presence at the airport. A monumental bronze statue of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (the namesake of the city), created by Raymond Kaskey, was placed in front of the main terminal.

In 1990, Lufthansa began Boeing 747 service to Germany; however, this service was discontinued shortly thereafter. In 1994, British Airways began service to London via a "global alliance" with USAir. This has since been discontinued, as the airlines had chosen opposite alliances (though they now are both in OneWorld). Lufthansa did restart service to Charlotte in 2003 and now operates flights between Charlotte and Munich, Germany utilizing Airbus A340-600 and Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

In 1999, plans were announced for the construction of a regional carrier concourse (present-day Concourse E) and for the expansion of Concourses A and D. This expansion was designed by The Wilson Group and LS3P Associates Ltd.

In 2002, the new 32-gate Concourse E opened, and US Airways also began non-stop service to Belize, Freeport, Providenciales, Punta Cana, and St. Croix. The airline closed its Concourse D US Airways Club location in 2002.

In 2003, the main ticketing hall was expanded to the east, providing 13 additional ticketing counters and a new security checkpoint; and Concourse D was expanded by an additional 9 gates. That year, US Airways began service to Costa Rica, Mexico City, and St. Kitts. Lufthansa also returned to the airport at this time providing service to Munich.

2005 and Beyond

Following America West Airlines' acquisition of US Airways in a reverse takeover, Charlotte (CLT) remains the primary domestic hub for the airline. However, the majority of US Airways' international routes are served out of the airline's second-largest hub, Philadelphia. In April 2007, Charlotte was the fastest growing airport in the US. and is among the 30 busiest airports in the world in terms of passenger traffic.

Dispute over control with the NC General Assembly

On July 16, 2013 the North Carolina General Assembly passed a bill, introduced by state Senator Bob Rucho in February 2013, transferring possession of the airport to a 13-member regional authority. Then Acting Mayor of Charlotte Patsy Kinsey expressed regret for the decision, saying it would throw the airport into "chaos and instability." However, the City of Charlotte was granted a restraining order against the state by Judge Robert Sumner in order to maintain control of the airport, and a court date was set for August 1 to determine the fate of the airport, with former Charlotte mayor Richard Vinroot representing the State as well as the former director of the airport, Jerry Orr. Orr sent a letter to the City after the passage of the bill saying his "employment as Executive Director of the Airport Authority commenced and (his) employment by the City as Aviation Director terminated", but with the granting of the restraining order, this was interpreted as a resignation by the City, and chief financial officer of the airport Brent Cagle was named Acting Director.

The August 1, 2013 court date yielded a verdict that the transfer, should it occur, would need prior approval from the FAA, a division of the US Department of Transportation, currently headed by former Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, who has officially recused himself from the matter.

Construction and Expansion

Airport diagram showing the three north/south parallel runways with the intersecting runway 5/23.

Construction of Charlotte International's fourth runway began in the spring of 2007. At 9,000 feet (2,700 m) long, the new "third parallel" will allow three independent approaches for arrivals even from the south, potentially increasing capacity by 33 percent. This new runway lies west of the three existing runways. The construction of the fourth runway required the relocation of parts of Wallace Neel Road (which had previously formed the Western boundary of the airport) to an alignment located further to the west.

Construction involved two phases. The first phase, which began in March 2007, included grading and drainage. The second phase included the paving and lighting of the runway. In August 2009, crews paved the last section.

On the morning of November 20, 2008 runway 18R/36L was changed to runway 18C/36C in anticipation of the upcoming commissioning of the new third parallel runway which would carry the 18R/36L designation when opened.

The runway opened January 6, 2010. The cost for the runway and taxiways was $325 million, with the federal government paying $124 million and the rest funded by a $3 fee added to the cost of a ticket.

The new runway was initially operational for visual approaches only, but is since February 11, 2010 approved for instrument approaches as well. The Runway construction also has planned to reroute several roads around the airport. Within these plans, a new interchange at the I-485 outerbelt is planned to connect the airport and another relocated road.

In 2013, the airport will release plans for the largest expansion in the airport's history. This would add onto multiple concourses, add an additional food court and multiple new parking decks.

Furthermore, Charlotte Douglas has initiated a project known as "CLT 2015", this project has been aimed at aiding the airport cope with the massive increase of passengers at the airport in recent years, and therefore expansion is needed to continue to allow Charlotte Douglas International Airport to continue growing in size and keep up with demand, the current plans are to expand the current terminal lobby to the north, construct a fifth runway and a new International terminal.

The "Fourth Parallel" runway for Charlotte Douglas is due to be formally designed in 2014 and construction has been planned to commence in January 2015 and scheduled for completion in the early stages of 2017, the runway is going to be built in between the existing runways 18R/36L and 18C/36C, and at 12,000 ft, the new runway would be Charlotte's longest to date.

Expansion

The airport plans to extend Concourse E by 120 feet (37 m) to accommodate additional aircraft. Unlike the rest of Concourse E, this new portion will have 2 levels to accommodate larger CRJs and Embraer aircraft.

In addition, construction of a new International Terminal will begin in 2012, and Concourse E is planned to be disconnected to the main terminal, and would then be accessible by underground walkway. A shuttle will be built connecting the terminals, parking garages, rental car center, and eventually, light rail.

On September 28, 2010 construction officially began to expand the ticket counter area connecting it to Concourse E eventually making room for one more security checkpoint area. The first phase of the terminal expansion officially opened on Friday June 29, 2012.

Parking

The parking options at Charlotte Douglas have drastically improved in recent years. There have been two new Daily Parking decks erected since 2005, providing almost 6,000 additional parking spaces for the traveling public. There are also four Long Term lots, with Long Term 1 and 2 being the primary ones contributing a combined 6,500 spaces. In addition, there is the Daily North lot (formerly Remote), which is between the Daily and Long Term lots, with about 1,500 spaces. A new 40-million-dollar Business Valet Parking Deck, which utilizes Post Tension Concrete for each massive 250,000-square-foot (23,000 m²) level, has now opened. Charlotte's close-in surface and deck parking exits are serviced by part-time personnel from booths apparently dating to the 1982 terminal expansion. The Daily parking rates at CLT are some of the lowest in the nation, with Long Term costing $4 and Daily/Daily North Parking is $10 per day. Staff audits every parking area each evening to upload license plate data to ensure each vehicle is assessed the correct parking fee when it exits. The airport has recently aligned with a customer service program called SmartPark, which allows customers to call a hotline 24 hours a day to receive updates on parking conditions. Charlotte Douglas also has Valet parking that provides vehicle washing and detailing and even paintless dent removal services for an additional charge.

As of March 1, 2013 both Hourly decks are closed and have been demolished.

All current lots require shuttles. Business Valet picks up outside Concourse D on the Departures level. All other shuttles pick up on the Arrivals level in the B zone and D zone. The Daily decks have a shuttle which makes 1 stop for both decks. Long Term 1 shares with Daily North and makes stops at lettered bus stops. Long Term 2 and 3 share a shuttle and also make stops at lettered bus stops. It is advised to remember your lot and letter to get on the correct bus on arrival. You can now keep your ticket with you and pay while waiting for the return shuttle with a credit or debit card or you can pay at a manned booth or automated machine.

As of July 2012 there is now also an offsite parking lot called Park n Go on Scott Futrell Drive.

The Overlook

A US Airways Boeing 737-300 landing at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in April 2008 with the Charlotte skyline in the background.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport is one of the few airports in the US that has a public viewing area. Here, visitors can watch planes take off, land, and taxi to and from runway 18C/36C. It is credited with having one of the best airport views in the United States.

Carolinas Aviation Museum

Main article: Carolinas Aviation Museum

Charlotte Douglas International Airport is one of a small number of major "hub" airports in the world which has an aviation museum located on the field. The Museum, established in 1992, has a collection of over 50 aircraft, including a flying DC-3 which is painted in Piedmont Airlines livery. The Museum also has an aviation library with over 9,000 volumes and a very extensive photography collection. Rare aircraft in the collection include one of only two surviving Douglas D-558 Skystreak aircraft, and the second (and oldest surviving) US-built Harrier, which was used as the flight-test aircraft and accumulated over 5,000 flight-test hours.

In January 2011 the Museum acquired N106US, the US Airways Airbus A320 ditched by Chesley Sullenberger as US Airways Flight 1549 in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009. This aircraft, which was delivered on June 10, 2011, is about 35 years younger than any other commercial airliner on display in a museum, gives the museum an unparalleled technological lead over other aviation museums in the field of commercial aviation.

Concourses, airlines and destinations

Concourse A

• Concourse A has 12 gates, and is the only concourse not used by US Airways.

Concourse B

• Concourse B has 16 gates, and is served only by US Airways.

Concourse C

• Concourse C has 18 gates, and is served only by US Airways.

Concourse D

• Concourse D has 13 gates and serves as the international concourse. All international arrivals without customs preclearance are handled at this facility.

Concourse E

• Concourse E has 38 gates, and is entirely used for US Airways Express, operating just over 340 flights per day (making it the largest express operation in the world).

New Concourse

• A new concourse as a separate terminal is proposed to begin construction in 2015 where the present car rental area is at. The new terminal building is expected to have at least 15 gates and will be served by more international carriers New to the airport. They are yet to be announced.

Airlines	Destinations	Concourse
Air Canada Express	Toronto–Pearson	A
American Airlines	Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston–Intercontinental (begins September 3, 2014), Miami, Philadelphia (begins September 3, 2014)	A
Delta Air Lines	Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Salt Lake City	A
Delta Connection	Cincinnati, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia	A
Frontier Airlines	Trenton/Princeton, Washington-Dulles (begins August 20, 2014)	A
Insel Air	Curaçao	D
JetBlue Airways	Boston, New York–JFK	D
Lufthansa	Munich	D
Southwest Airlines	Baltimore, Chicago–Midway, Houston–Hobby, Orlando (ends November 1, 2014)	A
United Airlines	Chicago–O'Hare	A
United Express	Chicago–O'Hare, Houston–Intercontinental, Newark, Washington–Dulles	A
US Airways	Albany (NY), Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Charleston (SC), Chicago–O'Hare, Cleveland, Columbus (OH), Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Des Moines (begins September 3, 2014), Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Harrisburg, Hartford, Houston–Intercontinental, Indianapolis, Jacksonville (FL), Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis (begins September 3, 2014), Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, New Orleans, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia, Newark, Norfolk, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland (ME), Portland (OR), Providence, Raleigh/Durham, Richmond, Rochester (NY), St. Louis, Saint Lucia, St. Thomas, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Juan, Sarasota, Seattle/Tacoma, Syracuse, Tampa, Washington–National, West Palm Beach, Wilmington (NC) Seasonal: Daytona Beach, Sacramento, St. Croix	B, C, D
US Airways	Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Belize City, Cancun, Cozumel, Frankfurt, Grand Cayman, Liberia, London–Heathrow, Mexico City, Montego Bay, Nassau, Providenciales, Punta Cana, Rio de Janeiro–Galeao, São Paulo–Guarulhos (ends October 1, 2014), St Lucia, St. Maarten, San José de Costa Rica, San José del Cabo Seasonal: Barcelona, Bermuda, Brussels, Dublin, Freeport, Lisbon, Madrid, Manchester (UK), Paris–Charles de Gaulle, Rome–Fiumicino, St Kitts	D
US Airways Express	Akron/Canton, Albany (NY), Allentown/Bethlehem, Asheville, Atlanta, Augusta (GA), Austin, Baltimore, Baton Rouge, Birmingham (AL), Blountville/Tri-Cities, Buffalo, Charleston (SC), Charleston (WV), Charlottesville, Chattanooga, Chicago–O'Hare, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbia (SC), Columbus (OH), Dayton, Daytona Beach, Des Moines, Detroit, Evansville (begins October 2, 2014), Fayetteville (AR), Fayetteville (NC), Florence (SC), Fort Walton Beach, Fort Wayne (begins October 2, 2014), Gainesville, Grand Rapids (begins September 3, 2014), Greensboro, Greenville (NC), Greenville/Spartanburg, Gulfport/Biloxi, Harrisburg, Hartford, Hilton Head, Huntington (WV), Huntsville, Indianapolis, Jackson, Jacksonville (FL), Jacksonville (NC), Kansas City, Knoxville, Lexington, Little Rock, Louisville, Lynchburg, Manchester (NH), Melbourne (FL), Memphis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Mobile, Montgomery, Montreal–Trudeau, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, New Bern, New Orleans, New York–LaGuardia, Newport News/Williamsburg, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Ottawa, Pensacola, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Raleigh/Durham, Richmond, Roanoke, St. Louis, Salisbury (MD), San Antonio, Sarasota, Savannah, Syracuse, Tallahassee, Toronto–Pearson, Tulsa, Washington–Dulles, Washington–National, White Plains, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Wilmington (NC) Seasonal: Freeport, Key West, Portland (ME)	C, E
Vacation Express operated by Aeromexico	Seasonal Charter: Cancun	D

CLT Passenger Numbers 2000 – 2012

Traffic by calendar year

	Passengers	Change from previous year
2000	23,073,894	unknown0
2001	23,177,555	010.45%
2002	23,597,926	001.81%
2003	23,062,570	012.27%
2004	25,162,943	1..9.11%
2005	28,206,052	012.09%
2006	29,693,949	005.28%
2007	33,165,688	..11.69%
2008	34,739,020	004.74%
2009	34,536,666	000.58%
2010	38,254,207	010.76%
2011	39,043,708	002.06%
2012	41,228,372	005.60%
Source: Charlotte Douglas International Airport

Airline lounges

US Airways Club: Concourses B and C/D connector USO Lounge: Atrium

There was an additional US Airways Club located in Concourse D, which was closed due to US Airways costcutting. British Airways also operated a lounge in the Main Atrium, which became a USO Lounge after they canceled service to Charlotte.

Top destinations

Busiest domestic routes from CLT (May 2013 – April 2014)

Rank	City	Passengers	Carriers
1	Atlanta, Georgia	874,000	Delta, US Airways
2	New York (LGA), New York	663,000	American, Delta, US Airways
3	Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas	616,000	American, US Airways
4	Chicago (O'Hare), Illinois	608,000	American, United, US Airways
5	Orlando, Florida	537,000	Southwest, US Airways
5	Boston, Massachusetts	530,000	JetBlue, US Airways
7	Newark, New Jersey	504,000	United, US Airways
8	Phoenix, Arizona	494,000	US Airways
9	Baltimore, Maryland	460,000	Southwest, US Airways
10	Houston (IAH), Texas	438,000	United, US Airways

Busiest international routes from Charlotte (2010–2011)

Rank	Airport	Passengers	Carriers
1	Cancun, Mexico	308,221	US Airways
2	Montego Bay, Jamaica	275,461	US Airways
3	Toronto (Pearson), Canada	197,883	Air Canada, US Airways
4	Frankfurt, Germany	177,634	US Airways
5	Nassau, Bahamas	170,209	US Airways
6	Punta Cana, Dominican Republic	160,805	US Airways
7	London (Gatwick), United Kingdom	158,071	US Airways
8	Munich, Germany	147,780	Lufthansa
9	Oranjestad, Aruba	135,826	US Airways
10	Rio de Janerio, Brazil	115,227	US Airways

Cargo airlines

Airlines	Destinations	Terminal
Air Transport International	Baltimore, Philadelphia	Cargo
FedEx Express	Indianapolis, Memphis	Cargo
UPS Airlines	Louisville	Cargo

Reliever airports

• Charlotte-Monroe Executive Airport
• Concord Regional Airport
• Rock Hill Municipal Airport

Ground transportation

• Sprinter Enhanced Bus Service (City Bus – See below)
• Taxi
• Hotel Shuttles
• Car Rentals

CATS' Sprinter Enhanced Bus Service connects the airport to the downtown Charlotte Transportation Center (this route was formerly known as the "Route 5-Airport"). It arrives and departs in front of Zone D Baggage Claim in the commercial lanes, and is easily identifiable by its green livery and "Sprinter" decals.

The service is operated from the airport every 20 minutes Monday–Friday from 5:50am to 7:00pm, after 7:00pm, service is offered every 30 minutes until 12:02am. On Saturday and Sunday, Sprinter operates from the airport every hour from 6:00am to 8:00am, every half-hour from 8:00am to 9:00pm, and every hour from 9:00pm to 1:00am. Trip time from the airport to downtown is approx. 20 minutes (depending on traffic conditions) and one-way fare is $1.75 (this is the same as all local routes in the CATS system). View the Sprinter Schedule for more detailed schedule and route information.

Military facilities

Charlotte Air National Guard Base

As a joint civil-military facility, the airport is home to Charlotte Air National Guard Base (Charlotte ANGB) and its host unit, the 145th Airlift Wing (145 AW) of the North Carolina Air National Guard, located in a military cantonment area on the east side of the airport. As an Air National Guard organization within the U.S. Air Force, the federal mission of the 145 AW is theater airlift and it is operationally-gained by the Air Mobility Command (AMC). The 145 AW is composed of over 300 full-time and over 1000 traditional part-time military personnel, operating and maintaining C-130 Hercules aircraft in support of combatant commanders world-wide or as otherwise directed by higher authority. Its state mission is to respond to requirements, typically of a humanitarian or disaster-relief nature, as identified by the Governor of North Carolina. The 145 AW's C-130H aircraft can also be equipped with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS), making them able to discharge large quantities of Phos-Chek, a water-based fire retardant slurry, at low altitude. In this capacity, the 145 AW is one of a select group of Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command C-130 units that, under the direction of U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), can deploy and provide military support to civilian authorities across the United States in combatting wild fires and forest fires.

Charlotte ANGB also maintains a USAF Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) unit, emergency vehicles, and associated crash station/fire station on the installation, providing the airport with an additional crash/fire/rescue (CFR) capability that can augment the airport's own civilian ARFF organization.

USO

Charlotte Douglas International Airport is also home to the USO of NC (United Service Organization of North Carolina) Travel Center, which functions as an airport lounge for military personnel (to include military retirees) and their families. Staffed by volunteers, the centers offer comfortable chairs, books, magazines, television, movies, video games, play areas for children, and refreshments. Internet and phone use is available free of charge.

Incidents and accidents

Accidents

• On September 11, 1974, Eastern Air Lines Flight 212 crashed on final approach en route from Charleston, SC. The crash site is 3.3 miles (5.3 km) due south of what is now Runway 36R west of York Road and north of Thornfield Road. The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the accident was a "lack of altitude awareness" of the pilots at critical points during the approach. During the approach the pilots conversed about numerous non-operational topics. With pilot attention drawn outside the aircraft, altitude "call outs" were neglected. With foggy treetops in sight, the pilot pulled back sharply and went to full throttle. The DC-9-31, traveling over 200 mph, clipped trees and snapped its wings, rupturing fuel tanks that spilled 13,000 pounds (5,900 kg) of Jet A fuel. The fiery airliner slid through dense woods into a ravine, broke into pieces, and came to rest with most of its cabin exit doors blocked by pine trees. The Steele Creek Volunteer Fire Department responded quickly, extinguishing the fire within minutes. Of 82 people on board, 13 survived the crash and fire. Two passengers died several days later, and a third died 29 days after the crash. Stephen Colbert, host of The Colbert Report on Comedy Central, lost his father and two brothers in the accident. Many passengers were wearing stylish "double-knit" garments that adhered to the skin when burned.
• On October 25, 1986, Piedmont Airlines Flight 467 overran the runway at Charlotte Douglas airport. The airplane was damaged beyond repair. Of the 119 people on board, 3 passengers sustained serious injuries, and 3 crewmembers and 28 passengers sustained minor injuries in the incident. There were no fatalities.
• On January 19, 1988, a Mountain Air Cargo De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 200 (N996SA), on a flight from Erie, Pennsylvania to Charlotte, descended below the glide path on approach to Charlotte Douglas International Airport, collided with a tree and struck the ground 1.6 km away from the airport. The crash was due to pilot error. The pilot was killed. There was no one else on board.
• On July 2, 1994, USAir Flight 1016 crashed in a residential area on approach, killing 37. The crash of the DC-9 was attributed to windshear during a thunderstorm. The flight originated in Columbia, South Carolina.
• On January 8, 2003, US Airways Express Flight 5481 crashed on takeoff while en route to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, killing all 21 people aboard. The flight was operated by Air Midwest, an independent airline operating under a US Airways Express codesharing agreement.
• On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549, an Airbus A320 departing for Charlotte Douglas International Airport ditched in the Hudson River after losing both engines as a result of multiple bird strikes at an altitude of 3,000 feet (910 m); all 150 passengers (12 in first class and 138 in economy) and 5 crew members (2 pilots and 3 flight attendants) were successfully evacuated.
• On July 1, 2012, a MAFFS-equipped Air Force Lockheed C-130H, assigned to the 145th Airlift Wing, North Carolina Air National Guard, Morris Field, crashed in southwest South Dakota while fighting the White Draw Fire, killing four crew and seriously injuring two.

Other incidents

• On May 29, 2009, a runway incursion occurred on Runway 18L between US Airways Express Flight 2390, a CRJ-200, and a general aviation Pilatus PC-12 turboprop. While Flight 2390 was on its takeoff roll, the general aviation aircraft was instructed to taxi into position and hold on the same runway for an intersection departure. The aircraft came within 10 feet of each other. There were no injuries.

External links

• Official website
• Template:PDFlink at North Carolina DOT airport guide
• FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective August 8, 2024
• FAA Terminal Procedures for CLT, effective August 8, 2024
• Resources for this airport:
  • AirNav airport information for KCLT
  • ASN accident history for CLT
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for KCLT
  • FAA current CLT delay information