North Carolina’s Largest Airport Receiving Millions That Should Make Flying Easier
North Carolina’s largest airport receiving millions that should make flying easier. According to our source, The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Douglas International Airport will be the recipient. And the money will come through federal funding. It’s from a program designed to improve passenger experiences.
This is a lot of money. The 27 million dollars will help fund up to 16 new passenger boarding bridges according to The Charlotte Observer. These bridges are used to get to and from a plane to the terminal gate. Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg will be in Charlotte Thursday (today) to talk more about the funding. The transportation secretary reportedly says, “It includes a lot of what you might call ‘front of house’ improvements. Things and see and feel when you get ready to fly.”
This allotment of money will be all about an improved experience for the flyer. The walk from the gate to the seat should be more comfortable and help provide “safe filtered air”. Charlotte Douglas International Airport has received funds through the program before according to our source. Money was used in 2023. This effected the quality or bathrooms, hold rooms and circulation areas.
Charlotte is not the only beneficiary of this federally funded program. Asheville’s airport has received millions over two years. And New Bern’s regional airport received 5 million in 2023.
North Carolina’s largest airport will be receiving millions that should make flying easier. And new passenger boarding bridges aren’t the only improvements. The airport broke ground back in June on a 1 billion dollar runway. We should see completion on that in 2027. Future plans will include expansion of the terminal lobby and more. For more information on this story, get details from our source The Charlotte Observer right here.
Will these changes impact you?
The Odds of Your Flight Being Delayed At Each North Carolina Airport
It almost seems inevitable these days that if you fly you’ll have to deal with some sort of delays. But what are the true odds of your flight being delayed when flying in a North Carolina airport? I’ve flown for three trips (or six total flights) so far in 2023 and on the return trip of two of those my flight was delayed. And not just once, but several times over the course of a few hours. And unfortunately both times I had already arrived at the airport, so I couldn’t even enjoy the extra time on my vacation. That part may very well be what irritated me the most. Especially when I could have been at Disney World. The someone ironic part of this story? Both delays were flying out of different Florida airports. My family has since banned me from flying to Florida. Not sure I’ll listen though!
North Carolina Airports
There are 10 airports in North Carolina that service commercial passengers. And ahead of National Aviation Day, August 19th, researchers at BetCarolina decided to calculate the odds of your flight getting delayed at each of those airports. And it’s not your imagination, those odds are increasing over time. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports that the percentage of delayed flights in 2018 was 17.3%, and it now sits at 21.6% in 2023.
What are we considering a “delayed flight”? A flight that arrived or departed from the gate 15 minutes or more after the scheduled arrival or departure. And you may be surprised to learn that the odds of your flight being delayed is not the greatest at the largest North Carolina airport. No, I’ll spoil it now. Charlotte Douglas International Airport did not have the highest percentage of delays. Instead, a regional airport did. But CLT was close to the worst. Keep reading to see what your odds of your flight being delayed at each North Carolina airport are. And you’ll learn a little about the destinations each airport serves. Another interesting statistic- overall if you are flying from anywhere in NC you have a 22.5% chance that the flight will be late.
Catherine Lane is the morning show co-host and midday host on Country 1037 in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has been with the station for the past 24 years and is a recipient of the Academy of Country Music Major Market Personality of the Year award. Catherine has been on air in both radio and television in the Queen City for 38 years. As a content creator for Country 1037, Catherine writes blogs on local events and restaurants. She also writes about great travel spots and out of the way places in the Carolinas. Anything outdoors, travel, food, animals or the many country artists from the Carolinas.
