CLTea Blog

Jun. 8, 2023 – CLT’s stature as an employment center and a top economic driver in the region is significant. The numbers cited by the most recent North Carolina State of Aviation report are impressive. $32 billion annual economic impact $1.82 billion in tax revenue generated $9.9 billion in personal income created 151,575 jobs supported So why should this matter to you? Economic Vitality CLT’s contribution of $32 billion to the state's economy in 2021, an increase from previous years, indicates significant economic growth and stability. This means businesses are thriving, job opportunities are increasing, and the overall economic environment is favorable. As a result, it has a positive impact on the average person by creating a stronger and more prosperous economy in which they can live, work, and thrive. As examples: North Carolina’s public airports lease space to more than 3,300 private aircraft that generate more than $11.6 million in property tax revenues for their communities each year. The owner of a $23 million aircraft based at a North Carolina airport pays local property taxes equivalent to those paid by owners of 115 homes valued at $200,000 each. That brings us to … Jobs, jobs, jobs The Airport and its supporting businesses along with those associated with construction are providing employment opportunities for a diverse range of professions and careers. This not only helps individuals find meaningful work, but also contributes to a thriving job market and offers stability to the workforce. More job opportunities mean better chances for career advancement, increased income and improved financial security for individuals and families in North Carolina. An example: 800 construction-related jobs are associated with the Airport’s Destination CLT program, the $3.1 billion capital investment and infrastructure improvement project under way. Another 20,000 or so people work at the Airport, its businesses, partners and stakeholders. It is a small city. Tax Revenue and Public Services The $1.82 billion in tax revenue generated by CLT in 2021 plays a crucial role in funding public services, infrastructure development and essential government initiatives. It is revenue that directly benefits the citizens of North Carolina by improving public services and enhancing their quality of life. The Airport is owned and operated by the City of Charlotte; however, it is does not collect public tax dollars. An enterprise fund of the city, the Airport is self-sustaining. Airport revenue funds all capital and operating costs per directives from the Federal Aviation Administration, which requires all airports to be financially self-sufficient. CLT also is strategically expanding its business beyond aviation to diversify its financial portfolio and increase its non-aeronautical revenue. Non-aeronautical revenue is generated from commercial enterprises, such as concessions, duty free, parking, advertising, car rental facilities and real estate income. Personal Income The earnings infusion of $9.9 billion in personal income increases the purchasing power of residents, enabling them to support local businesses and contribute to economic growth within their communities. Personal income allows people to improve their standard of living, meet their financial needs, and potentially invest in education, healthcare and other essential aspects of life. Consider this… Would the Queen City be headquarters to 475 companies and corporations, including major banking and tech giants, without the connectivity to the world that an airport provides? Without the connectivity CLT provides, would Charlotte be home to a bustling professional and minor league sports scene – from basketball, football and soccer to baseball and hockey? Don’t forget about NASCAR. Many companies have stated the airport and the ability to connect to anywhere in the world was a primary reason to headquarter here - reinforcing that CLT is growing, providing connections and opportunities for people, goods and services around the world. Why does this matter? The Airport has a direct impact on your economic well-being whether you travel or not. CLT helps foster a robust economy, creates career and job opportunities and personal income that contributes to quality of life for everyone who lives here.

Apr. 26, 2023 – Everyone at Charlotte Douglas International Airport has a job to do – even the dogs. That’s right, the dogs. CLT has more than 35 working dogs at the Airport. They have varying jobs from sniffing out drugs and explosives to easing passenger travel stress to searching for unwanted pests and agriculture that could be harmful to people and business in the U.S. Scritches behind the ears are encouraged for the CLT Canine Crew, a team of 25 four-legged volunteers that are registered, professional therapy dogs. However, no matter how tempting it might be, the drug and explosive detection dogs and the canine agriculture dogs are hands off. This allows these law enforcement pooches to stay focused on the very important job of keeping the Airport and flights safe and secure. No matter the job, the dogs of CLT are just like any other employee with important responsibilities. The CLT Canine Crew In addition to being a therapy dog, each has at least six months experience working in the field. From a tiny one-eyed white Pomeranian named Nugget to the gentle giant of a Mastiff named Hossa, these easy-going, friendly pups provide canine love, comfort, and support to travelers. Studies show that petting a dog helps reduce stress. At CLT, just seeing the Canine Crew is enough to make people smile. You know you can pet these dogs because their handlers wear blue CLT Canine Crew T-shirts and each dog sports a blue ‘Pet Me’ vest. Dylan, an English Cream Golden Retriever, is striking due to his rich, white fur. Super chill, he will walk right up to you, lay down and roll over for some belly rubs. Lydia, a Golden/Lab mix, is a mama bear who is especially good with puppies and is fond of costumes she wears when she comes to the Airport. Julep and Tillie, both Clumber Spaniels, are a team. Julep is so happy to be here she can’t stop wiggling with excitement, while Tillie is calm and collected. New to the team last summer are Wilbur the Pug and Moose the Staffordshire Terrier mix. Wilbur is always excited to see customers, and Moose melts people’s hearts with the cutest puppy dog eyes. Since the program’s inception in 2015 the Canine Crew has grown, in size and popularity. Dog teams love to pose for photographs with passengers and petting is always welcome. The Beagle Brigade Passengers entering the country at CLT from overseas destinations have likely seen Ears and other members of the Beagle Brigade. These U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) detector dogs are responsible for finding harmful plant pests and foreign animal disease before it enters the country. Currently, CBP has over 155 Beagle teams (dog and handler equal a team), or Agriculture K9 teams, at U.S. ports of entry. In fiscal year 2022, these dogs referred over 129,000 agriculture products for interception due to the risks from plant pests or diseases. Ears, age 2, is considered one of CLT’s top dogs. She’s a tiny Beagle that gets a lot of attention. An outgoing, friendly, affable pup, Ears got her name from nipping the ears of other puppies she lived with before entering training as an agriculture specialist. With 445 million scent receptors in her nose, she can scan many passengers and all the luggage from a large international flight in minutes, compared to individual inspections and x-rays that can take much longer. Ears’ reward for finding prohibited agriculture and pests is treats. She loves salmon, apples and bacon scents and flavors. She gets low-calorie, high protein treats to keep trim since food is a reward. A busy day can mean a lot of treats. Bomb and Drug Detection Dogs Unlike Ears, the drug and bomb detection dogs work for their favorite toy. When they find something in need of inspection, the dogs sit as an alert to their handler. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department manages the Airport’s drug and explosive detection dogs. The explosive detection dogs are part of the Transportation Security Administration but are handled by CMPD through a partnership. Driven and hardworking, these K9s go through months of training before their first job and then train throughout their career. These law enforcement canine work around aircraft, cargo, vehicles, at checkpoints and in public areas of the Airport. They have a single purpose and receive nonstop training to detect drugs and explosives. While it is serious work, these pups have unique and fun personalities that their handers often see in downtime at home and in working long hours together. Because they are working dogs, this crew doesn’t lounge on the sofa, receive treats for tricks or chase their favorite toy in the back yard. Remember, their favorite toy is reward for finding drugs or explosives in their detection work. Passengers often only see the working side of the dogs. There is Robi, a Hungarian Vizsla, that despite his seriousness is a very affectionate dog that loves his toys. His favorite is a tennis ball. Robi, 5, also is especially curious about cameras and is not shy about putting his nose print on a lens pointed in his direction. Erich Eric is a 7-year-old German Shephard who is named for a 9-11 victim. That’s why he has two first names – his own and the name of the person he is named in memory of. Inox, the 3-year-old Malinois, has no fear and is quite serious about his job. His favorite food is strawberries. Nera, an 8-year-old Shephard, is methodical in her work, but a softy underneath that serious exterior. Oh, and she’s a Raiders fan. Puki, a German Shorthaired Pointer from Greece, is the newest CMPD team member. He’s a lover with an affection for tennis balls. And Mia the Malinois is a social butterfly dubbed ‘mayor of the Airport.” TSA Explosive Detection Canine Team The TSA Explosive Detection Canine Team works alongside the CMPD in patrolling the Airport. While the CMPD K9 teams are your typical explosive detection canines that conduct searches of bags, buildings, aircraft, vehicles and cargo, you are more likely to see the TSA Explosive Detection dogs screening passengers and bags in the security checkpoint lines. Like all the dogs at the Airport, this crew of six hardworking pups is filled with personality. There is Mongo, a black Labrador Retriever that acts like a playful puppy. Pepe is a yellow Labrador laid back and calm no matter what he encounters. Both love tennis balls for their reward. Don’t be surprised to see Pepe chasing his ball, which is attached to a rope, around the terminal. Dingo, Baron and Grom2 are German Short Haired Pointers who share duties with Hary the German Shepherd. Baron is the grand old man of the group and loves attention, while the playful Grom2 and Dingo are the newest members of the team. Dingo is a bundle of energy, who loves to work for his tennis ball reward. Grom2 loves to play with his reward, which is a Chuckit! Hary is always looking to work – he’s called the true definition of working canine – and, more importantly, getting his black Kong reward for a job well done. So, next time you see CLT’s working dogs go pet a Canine Crew member. Please keep your distance from the Beagle Brigade, the TSA dogs and the CMPD bomb and drug detection dogs while thanking them for their service in keeping travel safe and secure. [Watch the video](https://youtu.be/g_6cbHqOzqI)

Feb. 8, 2023 - Remember the days of going on a business trip and squeezing in some extra time for sightseeing and fun? Remember feeling lucky if your employer let you push your return flight beyond the official business trip’s end so you could do that? That was more the norm for many workers before 2020, before the pandemic rocked our worlds. The pandemic changed how many of us approach the work-life balance, where people can and do work and how we work. We discovered we do not have to be in an office to be ‘at work.’ Internet, Wi-Fi, and VPNs make it possible, for example, to be sitting on the beach, working as the family enjoys time in the sun and sand. Or now a hotel room in Nashville is your office by day, then at night you and your friends are soaking up the country music resonating across Music City USA. The workplace is changing and as it does the passenger profile for airports everywhere, including Charlotte Douglas International Airport, is changing. Before the pandemic business and leisure travel was nearly evenly split 50-50%. Business travel plummeted in 2020 due to the pandemic and the proliferation of virtual meetings. At the same time, cheaper plane tickets (and people tired of being cooped up after quarantine) pushed leisure travel to 76% of CLT’s business. Business travel dropped to just 17%. One need only spend some time people watching in our terminal to see there are fewer business suits these days and hundreds of more casually dressed singles, families, and vacationers. What we see now is the leisure traveler carrying everything they need to work wherever their destination is. This blended, or bleisure, traveler has always been among us. There are more of them now. Based on CLT passenger survey responses in 2022, blended travelers comprised 5% of passengers at CLT, up strikingly from 2% in 2019 before the pandemic struck. Business travelers, in those same surveys, increased from 17% during the pandemic to 22% percent in 2022. According to Travel Weekly, blended travel is more than a bit of pre- or post-work fun. Business travelers want more flexibility, and companies are beginning to cater more to those who want to work remotely for a few extra weeks or just want to work from anywhere but the office. The changing workplace, employer flexibility, ease of staying virtually connected all add up to a slower than normal return of business travel to pre-pandemic dominance. In 2022, business travel had minimally ticked up to 22 percent of CLT passengers. We will be watching to see where it goes next.

Jun. 30, 2022 - Let’s get real about summer travel. It’s a bit of a mess. You know it. We know it. The fix is as complicated as the way we got here. First some background, then we want to share some things our customers should do when traveling now and in the future. How we got here: CLT is operated by a department of the City of Charlotte. We work with countless businesses that make leisure and business travel possible. Think airlines, concessions, bag handlers, security screeners, air traffic controllers and so many others. You can also think of us this way – the Aviation Department is like the mall operator renting to the businesses, such as the airlines, that are here. While the staff who help operate the Airport don’t schedule (or cancel) your flights or handle your luggage, we all recognize we have a role, and we recognize it’s a tough time to travel. Recovering from the pandemic has been a challenge. Thousands in the aviation industry and supporting businesses were laid off or furloughed while travelers were hunkered down in quarantine. Some workers left the busy, people-filled Airport environment like an airport because of COVID concerns. Some found other jobs and moved on. That created staffing shortages that many in the travel business are still scrambling to fix today. We’ve all heard about the nationwide shortage of workers. The pandemic did a number on our workforce too, and we still feel its effects months after a new normal. Meanwhile, our customers were emerging from lockdowns and eager to travel, anywhere. Pilots are retiring at the mandatory age 65 in record numbers. During the pandemic, the training and licensing of new pilots slowed. Airlines offered early retirement packages to pilots and crew to help offset sudden unemployment and cut costs while planes sat empty. At the same time, rental car and ride-share services like Uber and Lyft have not recovered as quickly as some would like thanks to COVID. As people are emerging from two-plus years of laying low because of COVID, supply and demand disconnects are wreaking havoc on travel. Holidays compound this because more people travel during the summer and holidays than at any other time of the year. This July 4 weekend it's predicted record numbers of people will be flying to, from and through CLT. Ours has been one of a few airports in the nation to recover quickly from the pandemic thanks to its close relationship with American Airlines and our position as its second-largest hub. So, yes, we’re busy here at CLT. You must plan for your travel. There will be more cars on our roads, longer lines, longer wait times for shuttle buses and the parking facilities, including the cell phone waiting lot, will fill up fast. We know our customers are adapting. We appreciate it, but now more than ever, planning ahead of coming to the Airport is essential. PARKING: When you book your flight, reserve your parking at the same time at parkCLT.com. Demand for parking is high at CLT and has been for months. Rental car and ride-share services like Uber and Lyft have not recovered as quickly as some would like thanks to COVID. If you are coming to the Airport, a reservation made at least six hours in advance (but we recommend much more advance booking because of high demand) is a way to guarantee you have a parking place. And don’t forget, you can always have someone drop you off at the airport or you can catch a bus or a taxi instead. EXPECT LINES: Get here early. There are going to be crowds and lines. Plan on it. Arriving an hour before your flight is scheduled to leave is not enough time anymore. You need to be in the terminal in line with your airline or at the security checkpoint two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before international flights. This is the minimum. Anything less and you risk missing your flight. Don’t take that chance. AIRLINES: Eight major airlines operate at CLT with American Airlines being the largest and accounting for nearly 90 percent of all arrivals and departures. It’s important that if you are told your flight is delayed, or worse canceled, that you get in touch with your airline as quickly as possible. Some airlines are already offering travel waivers ahead of the July 4 holiday. Download the airline’s app on your mobile device. Save their numbers on your cell phone. Have their contact information readily available. PATIENCE: Thank you for your business. As we all work to recover from the pandemic and as you take to the skies this weekend and in the days ahead, please follow signs or ask an Airport worker for help when needed. We recognize it’s tough out there for everyone – from the people who check you in for your flight to those who make your coffee to the men and women who pilot and crew the planes that fly you to your travel destination. Don’t take chances with your travel, especially right now when so much can go awry.

Jun. 14, 2022 - Everyone has moved at least once in their lives. Nobody would say it is fun. CLT is going to be experiencing a big move in the not-too-distant future that will affect our community. The key word there is MOVE. Not close. Not end. No going away parties. No thanks-for-memories, to be relegated to the mind’s eye. This will be a short move. Just a few thousand feet. As with any move there must be planning. And an upgrade or two. Or, in this case, about 15. Plans are underway to relocate the Airport Overlook as part of the North End Around Taxiway project, which includes airfield improvements associated with the forthcoming runway. To be clear: The current Airport Overlook will NOT close until the new area is open to the public. A simple address change, without the need to contact the U.S. Postal Service to get the mail forwarded. The popular area was called “one of the seven wonders of Charlotte” by the Charlotte Observer. It will remain on Airport property and maintain the spectacular airfield, skyline and terminal views you have come to enjoy. There are many exciting things in store and those will be shared at the appropriate time. Until that new “house” is built and ready for yard-of-the-month eligibility, you can continue to enjoy the space at 4355 Airport Overlook Drive from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

Feb. 28, 2022 - The Airport hustle and bustle is filled with anticipation for the meeting, vacation or homecoming at the other end of someone’s plane trip. Want to share in that excitement? Come work here. Enjoy helping people? Millions fly to, from and through CLT each year. That’s a lot of passengers who we help each day. Looking for an exciting career in aviation? Sure you are! Yogi Berra said it best: “They give you cash, which is just as good as money.” “If you get hurt and miss work, it won’t hurt to miss work.” “You can observe a lot by just watching.” What does the owner of 10 World Series rings have to do with working for the City of Charlotte-owned Aviation Department? Where are we going with this? We want you! Car breaks down on a Tuesday and drains your account? We get paid every Friday. Not feeling well and must miss a day of work? Paid sick days. Any benefits that aren’t in the job description? Any given day, you might find yourself on the airfield, where you can observe planes and watch them take off and land. Yes, the Aviation Department has hung its sign on the always-under-construction front door: Help Wanted. Like most businesses, the impacts and repercussions from COVID-19 have shown that even the Airport is not immune. So, we want to you come to work with us. CLT is a city within a city. It takes a lot of people you will never see and skills you didn’t know were needed at an Airport to keep things running smoothly so our passengers can get to where they are going. There is something for everyone: bus drivers, maintenance mechanics, plumbers, carpenters, HVAC technicians, engineers, budget analysts, project managers, contract specialists … the list goes on and on. Check out all the exciting career opportunities currently available by visiting our website www.cltairport.com/careers or applying for available positions on the City of Charlotte jobs page. New jobs are added each week so check back often. Mark your calendar for our next hiring event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 30 at Bojangles Coliseum. We want to share with you all the great opportunities and benefits of working with us and the City of Charlotte. We can’t wait to work with you.

Jan. 12, 2022 - For more than a year Haley Gentry has been in the cockpit, so to speak, at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, steering the Airport and its operator, the City of Charlotte Aviation Department, through some of the most turbulent months in recent memory. Gentry began her career as an intern at CLT 30 years ago. She worked her way through the ranks and in October 2021 was named to her new leadership role. Gentry has a breadth of knowledge and experience that is unique, in part because of her tenure in the industry. But of particular note, she is the first woman to lead CLT as its chief executive officer and aviation director in the Airport’s 87-year history. The Charlotte Observer recently picked Gentry and one of five Charlotte leaders to watch in 2022. Gentry and the others are at the center of key happenings and leadership in the Charlotte region headed into the new year, the Queen City newspaper said. Here’s a look at an expanded version of a question-and-answer interview Gentry participated in. What are the main challenges or opportunities for the Charlotte airport in 2022? COVID will continue to be a challenge for the foreseeable future. We must find a way to live with the virus and associated challenges for travel. The past two years have changed our workplaces and how we conduct business. Our employees are our most valuable resource and are essential to providing the services that make the airport functional. The lack of human resources has significantly impacted all employers at the Airport. Maintaining the staff, we have and identifying future employees is a top priority. We must continue to develop creative strategies to address this challenge. The other significant opportunity is to continue diversifying our revenue portfolio by increasing non-aeronautical revenue. The past year certainly taught us the importance of this. We must continue to safeguard the Airport by ensuring we are financially self-sustaining regardless of passenger volume. The Charlotte airport has been one of the busiest in the county this year as air travel rebounds from deep drops in passenger travel at the height of the pandemic. What strategies have helped CLT recover from the pandemic challenges? Is CLT uniquely situated to continue a strong recovery? Very early in the pandemic, American Airlines made it known that Dallas and Charlotte would be their two hubs of focus. The strength of the hub has pulled CLT through the last two years and propelled us to being the 6th busiest airport in the country. Other airports throughout the country have not been so fortunate. CLT has a long history of fiscal conservatism and that served us well during this worldwide crisis. We take pride in being a good business partner, in the good times and bad. This crisis of the past year brought the aviation industry together in unprecedented ways, further solidifying our strong partnerships. Why is a strong airport important for the city? How does the airport's COVID-19 recovery affect Charlotte? The Airport is this region’s top economic tool. It is the gateway to the world for our community and generates $24.6 Billion in local economic impact. In January 2019, (pre-pandemic) the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) reported the Airport’s contribution to 132,000 jobs for North Carolina residents. A healthy, thriving airport is an indicator of a strong and prosperous community. The recovery of CLT is a positive economic indicator of our region. What should Charlotteans expect to see with Airport construction in 2022? How have those plans changed during COVID, if at all? Passengers will continue to see and experience the impacts of our Terminal Lobby Expansion. This became a focus project for us at the onset of the pandemic. Initially, we were able to gain some strides with fewer passengers in the building. This upgrade to our front doorstep is a $608 million investment and will provide an additional 366,000 square feet of new and renovated space to our lobby space, making a dramatic improvement to the passenger experience and overall functionality of the terminal. We also anticipate the initiation of a project which adds 10 gates to Concourse A. This new structure will be a sister concourse matching the 10-gate expansion previously added in 2018. This is critical to providing additional gate capacity for the hub and non-hub airlines. 2022 will mark the beginning of your first full year as Charlotte's permanent aviation director — can you share how you're feeling about the next year in the job? And can you share any reflections on your transition to the job over the past year? It has been a unique time in history to be in a leadership role. There is no playbook for how to operate a business during a pandemic. COVID has impacted our professional and personal lives in so many unanticipated ways. We have had to rely on the tried-and-true basics of keeping it simple while sprinkling in some innovation. We have learned it is essential to remain nimble and be able to pivot when the environment changes and I think this is something the Airport team has done very well. We often say to new employees, you will never be bored at the Airport. I suspect the upcoming year will live up to that mantra. Read more about Haley Gentry on the Airport website.

Jan. 12, 2022 - For two years we at CLT have pivoted countless times, strived to persevere through one of the most challenging times in aviation history and ridden the roller coaster of an always evolving public health crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic took the wind from under our wings at first. The Airport never closed, but our business partners were forced to shutter either for safety reasons or due to the lack of passengers and customers in the pandemic’s early days. We hobbled along as people canceled flights and stayed home. We took advantage of the “slow time” to make changes and improvements throughout the Airport so that customers felt safe and could stay healthy while traveling. It was scary as all get out. We grappled alongside our customers to stay safe while working to keep the Airport operating and vital to the nation’s air transportation network and to restore passenger confidence in flying. It wasn’t easy either. There were days when the Airport was so full that people wondered if there was a pandemic going on. CLT was busier than most other airports because it is American Airlines’ second-largest U.S. hub and a hub American deemed vital to its business despite the pandemic. So, when we are busy, we are REALLY busy. We have been blessed for many months now with a busy airport. We are nearly as busy now as we were in 2019, our record-breaking year for passengers. We are happy that customers have the confidence to fly again. But just as we did in the first wake of the pandemic, our efforts to provide a safe Airport remain steadfast as we come upon year three of living with COVID-19. Many of the changes we made more than a year ago remain in place: Enhanced housekeeping: Airport housekeeping is a 24/7 job anyway, but throughout the pandemic, we have ramped up efforts to monitor cleanliness and pay special attention to the things you encounter often. Our partners in the terminal, such as the airlines, retail and dining concessions and others, continue to take steps to stem to spread of COVID-19. Healthy air: Hospital-grade air filters are in place throughout CLT’s heating and air conditioning systems and in many places, UV-C light also sanitizes the air. UV lighting also is being used to continuously clean the people-mover handrails. Hand Sanitizing Stations: More than 60 hand sanitizing stations were installed throughout the terminal when soap and water are not readily available. Protective Shields: Many customer-service counters - from stores to airline ticket counters to parking toll booths to the security checkpoints – are equipped with protective shields for added passenger and employee safety. Masks Required: The Transportation Security Administration still requires anyone coming in the Airport or one of our other facilities (such as parking decks and shuttle buses) to always wear a mask. Airlines require their customers to wear a mask while onboard flights too. If you forget yours or need a fresh one, masks are available at each security checkpoint podium and the Visitor Info Center located in Baggage Claim. Please Rock Your Mask for everyone’s safety. Safety Approval: To ensure we were doing all we can, we sought independent review. CLT was the first airport in North Carolina to receive the international stamp of approval for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic when it comes to cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention in our facilities. The Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR™ Facility Accreditation recognizes CLT has implemented the most stringent protocols for cleaning, disinfection, and infectious disease prevention in its facilities. We are in the process of seeking reaccreditation. In March 2020 as it is today in January 2022, we are committed to ensuring our passengers have a safe and positive travel experience when flying to, from or through Charlotte Douglas International. It’s been a long, challenging two years. We are glad passengers feel confident to fly again and we are looking forward to a 2022 that is prosperous for all the businesses at CLT. Their livelihood and the airport’s impact on the local and state economy depend on it.

Oct. 19, 2021 -While a lot of people around the world have been working from home throughout much of the pandemic, thousands of men and women at Charlotte Douglas International Airport never left the workplace. These employees were called ‘‘essential’’ in COVID-19’s early days. As the pandemic dragged on, the definition of what and who was essential changed. More than 20,000 people working at the Airport – including nearly 700 who are employed by the Airport operator, the City of Charlotte Aviation Department – are all essential in some way. Each has a role in keeping the Airport running efficiently. But there is no doubt that those who came to work at the Airport every day, deserve special recognition. We want to salute the men and women who have helped keep CLT operating since March 2020 when COVID-19 first rocked our world: Pilots, flight attendants, ticket agents, customer service reps. Ramp workers, aircraft and avionics maintenance technicians, engine mechanics, wing walkers, airfield operations specialists, airline caterers, air traffic controllers, airline cargo handlers. Police, firefighters, first responders, paramedics, TSA agents, Customs and Border Protection officers, Airport security, sky marshals. Taxi drivers, ride-share operators, shuttle bus drivers, valet attendants, wheelchair attendants, vehicle maintenance mechanics, HVAC specialists, the IT geeks who keep computers and technology running. Servers, chefs, cooks, retail cashiers, salespeople, waiters and waitresses, housekeepers. Every day. On site. Doing everything in their power to stay safe amid a raging pandemic and help keep planes in the air and passengers on their travels. There have been complaints about lost tempers, customer service that could have been more pleasant, and yes, closed restaurants and stores due to either a decrease in passenger traffic or the labor shortages that resulted from layoffs early in the pandemic. And we have all seen the stories of upset and unruly passengers lashing out at the very people there to keep them safe and on their travels. Unruly behavior is not tolerated, and the FAA and TSA could level fines on people who do not follow COVID rules and protocols or who disrupt air travel. It’s is challenging for all of us to adapt in an unprecedented pandemic and all the changes it has brought to our lives. But each one of these essential, onsite workers do their best. They come to work with the goal of keeping the Airport open and serving our customers. They do their best with the most unusual of circumstances. They continue to do so as CLT’s business partners begin to bounce back from dwindling passenger traffic that caused layoffs 18 months ago and hiring challenges in 2021 as your confidence to fly returned and you flocked to the Airport to travel. We owe these folks a debt of gratitude. These essential workers at CLT, and airports around the nation, have been and are still today critical to keeping the nation’s air transportation network operating. They are critical to your travel experience. Salute. High five. Kudos. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Jul. 1, 2021 - COVID-19 has changed a lot about our daily lives. As we start to venture out again and as we start to travel more, it’s worth reminding ourselves of the manners we were taught as children and the common courtesies that are critical to interacting with other people. The news of fights aboard aircraft and in airports, assaults on airline crews, general disorder during travel, attacks on Airport workers and arguments about masks amid a pandemic is disheartening. We are better than that. As vaccines have rolled out, people are more comfortable traveling. But we must remember that airports and airplanes are inherently crowded places. For safety, we are required to wear masks inside the Airport and onboard aircraft. It is still the official federal guidance from medical experts. We said it before. It’s the right thing to do. If someone needed help with walking or standing, many of us would be right there to offer assistance. If someone sitting near us was having a heart attack, difficulty breathing or was choking, we’d be there to quickly help. Because we care about our fellow human beings and as kids we were taught to be helpful and caring. Because we care, we need to remember to be kind. Kindness goes a long way. The pandemic has affected us all in different ways. Likewise, each of us has responded and adjusted our lives in different ways. Yes, the rules we have been asked to abide by over the last 15 months have been inconvenient, a challenge, and even politically divisive. But as you go back out in the world and as you make your travel plans, remember the basic manners we all learned as children: - Say ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’ Simple courtesy goes a long way in making people feel valued and happy to help. Disrespect or rude treatment of people in any role is wrong. - Don’t interrupt. Let people finish talking, even if you think they are wrong. Let’s use our “inside voice.” It’s common courtesy and respectful to keep conversations calm. - Temper negative opinions when it comes to wearing a mask and keeping your distance. None of us likes it, but we should respect our fellow human beings enough to accept their choice. - Be patient. Change is hard. The pandemic is forcing us to change in ways we never thought possible. Good manners are important. It seems like in the many months of quarantining we have forgotten those manners or decided we no longer need to be polite or respectful to people. Somehow it has become ok to be rude, belligerent and mean. Next time you want to lash out, ask yourself how your grandma or pawpaw would feel if he or she were on the receiving end of that. Then maybe rethink it and opt for kindness and being polite instead. We are all in this together. Be kind.