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Charlie & Debbie

Baggage Claim BackUp At North Carolina Airport Causes Passengers To Take Matters Into Their Own Hands

Author Debbie Nance

‘Tis the summer travel season.  And, many folks crowd the airports eagerly anticipating their vacation destination.  However, airports have their stresses and challenges.   July 4th holiday week at Charlotte Douglas International Airport saw this issue.  A problem with the belt caused a baggage claim backup.  So, that’s when passengers decided to take matters into their own hands.

According to QC News, the problem occurred at Delta baggage claim Sunday.  The malfunction caused an overhead conveyor belt to stop moving.  Therefore, customers were left unable to retrieve their bags.  So, frustrated and impatient passengers then climbed up the belt to help get things moving.  Of course, watching the videos is scary as we see how dangerous such an activity might be.  Luckily, no one suffered injuries during the incident.

However, airport workers demanded the passengers stop.  As you can imagine, any number of accidents could result in the risky behavior.  But, folks these days seem to, understandably, lose patience and resort to risky things when matters don’t resolve quickly.  Although, it’s also understandable why airlines discourage such behavior.  I am certain if someone did get hurt there would be lawsuits because that’s the way the world works today.

Of course, passengers applauded their fellow travelers who took over, claiming airport workers weren’t responding to the issue.  But, as frustrating as airports can be, please don’t intervene in such a possibly dangerous solution.  So, if you have any air travel planned this summer pack your patience and be prepared for issues to arise.  Lately, quite a few airlines experienced problems resulting in delays and cancellations as well as close calls on the runway with air traffic control.

But, this latest baggage claim backup incident at Charlotte Douglas International Airport presented a new wrinkle.  Read the full story from QC News.

These Are The Most Popular International Travel Destinations From North Carolina

There were 293227 passports issued in North Carolina in 2022. And in the entirety of the United States? Nearly 12 million passports were issued. That’s a lot of demand for international travel. And I was one of those people. And I believe it because trying to make an appointment was crazy! In fact, I had to drive an hour to Maiden, NC, and pay rush shipping, and for the passport to be expedited. It was well worth it though! This surge in passports can be attributed to the fact that many people felt comfortable traveling for the first time in a few years. Also, that restrictions were eased to get in and out of countries. So where were all these people going? Our friends at AirportParkingReservations.com found out. They set out to find the most popular travel destinations from each state including from North Carolina.

They analyzed search data using Google Keyword Planner to see what international destinations were the most searched-for flights among prospective travelers. And you may be surprised at the most popular destinations that North Carolinians are traveling to. You’ll find information not just on international destinations but also domestic ones as well. I agree with a lot of the choices, though some of them I wouldn’t have expected. Though I paid enough for that passport I need to book another trip to get some use of it. Catch me jet setting here soon! You can read the full study and methodology here or keep reading to see the most popular travel destinations from North Carolina and the entirety of the United States.

  • Most Popular International Flight Searches

  • 1. Japan

    The most searched for flights were to Japan. In case you’re wondering that’s about a 16.5-hour flight from Charlotte to Tokyo. I’m all for seeing Japan, but wow that would be hard to tolerate! That being said Japan is a wonderful destination. AirportParkingReservations describes Japan in this way:

    “One of the oldest civilizations, Japan has a stunning and varied past and has ranked number one across the US. The beautiful, diversified landscape, which the Japanese love for its mountains and breath-taking views, offers so many distinct experiences that attract travelers from all over the world, including Americans.”

  • 2. Mexico

    Mexico makes perfect sense coming in at number 2 on this list. It’s convenience to the US and tropical climate, not to mention the multitude of all-inclusive resorts, make it an easy vacation destination. It’s about a 4 hour’s flight from North Carolina depending on which part of Mexico you’re headed to! The article states that “Mexico is indeed a tropical treasure cove, with its stunning beaches and cities bursting with ancient architecture.”

  • 3. Greece

    Greece would certainly be my pick of these three destinations. It’s rich in culture, and those views of the Mediterranean Sea I would imagine they are to die for. They’d certainly be worth the 11+ hour flight.

  • Most Popular Domestic Flight Searches From North Carolina

  • 1. Michigan

    Michigan

    Who knew Michigan was such a travel hotspot? The rest of the cities included in NC’s top 5 makes sense to me. This one leaves me scratching my head a little. But AirportParkingReservations says that “Michigan is known for incredible hiking, fishing, and water activities”. Have fun guys I think I’m skipping out on this one at least til I check some other states off of my bucket list first.

     

  • 2. New York

    Between travel for vacation, work, and visiting family New York is a predictable destination to end up on this list. In fact, I was probably one of these searches as I flew from NC to NYC this fall. Just New York City alone is home to world class entertainment, shopping, dining, and of course everything Christmas in the city has to offer. Many people also fly to other areas of New York including Buffalo and Syracuse.

  • 3. Hawaii

    If you offered me a free domestic flight to anywhere right now, I wouldn’t think twice before choosing Hawaii. The world class beaches and hotels combined with rainforests and volcanos? Count me in. This lush tropical paradise is always a top travel destination so it’s no wonder North Carolinians are searching for flights there!

  • 4. Florida

    Florida was tons for visitors to do from it’s Atlantic and Gulf beaches, to theme parks, and nightlife. And it’s such an easy flight from North Carolina.

  • 5. California

    California is another top vacation destination, and combined with it’s massive size, I’d be shocked if it wasn’t on this list. The year round good weather, beaches, national parks, and thriving cities make it a hotspot for travelers.

  • Most Popular International Flight Searches In The Entire US

    1. Japan (TIE)

    1. Mexico (TIE)

    3. Italy

    4. Greece

    5. India

  • Most Popular International Flight Searches By Number Of States

    Japan (18)

    Italy (18)

    Greece (8)

    Ireland (4)

    India (1)

    Australia (1)

    **These are the number of states that had the respective country as their top searched destination**

  • Most Popular Domestic Flight Searches Across The US

    1. Michigan (TIE)

    1. Hawaii (TIE)

    3. New York

    4. Florida

    5. Pennsylvania

 

Debbie Nance is the afternoon co-host along with her husband on "The Charlie and Debbie Show" at WSOC, Country 1037 in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has been with the station for 18 years. Debbie is a CMA Award winner for Radio Personality of the Year. And, she has worked in radio for 40 years. Before her current afternoon position, Debbie spent more than a decade as co-host on morning shows in several markets across the Southeast. As a content creator for Country 1037, Debbie writes articles about food, new restaurants in the Carolinas and travel experiences.

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