Charlotte Airport

[zdcatc12]

1 hour ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Actually, we probably DO fly as often as you.  And maybe more.

You should have typed D0 fly as often!!! Especially since this topic deals with AA. I'm sure the frequent flyers would understand that one.

[Zach1213]

38 minutes ago, zdcatc12 said:

You should have typed D0 fly as often!!! Especially since this topic deals with AA. I'm sure the frequent flyers would understand that one.

 

[6rugrats]

2 hours ago, Zach1213 said:

 

I'm not going to get involved beyond just pointing out that most of us who post regularly on this board either (a) practically live on planes, (b) work in aviation, or (c) both. 6rugrats is definitely one of the heavy hitters on this board. 

I work for a major airline.  I see so much incorrect information posted on this board.  If most posters knew how much many of the front line workers cared, and how hard we work to fix things for passengers during irrops, they would be ashamed of their complaints.  We bend over backward to try and find a solution.  And, many problems pax have they created themselves, (not showing up at the correct airport, not arriving on time for their flight, failing to pick up their bags and recheck after an international flight, etc.). We have no input into an airline's operations, we just clean up the mess and try to do it with a smile on our face.  Give us some credit once in a while.  I think in the last ten days I worked, two people told me "thank you."  Maybe treat the customer service agent like a human being once in a while, instead of your enemy.  

[Zach1213]

2 minutes ago, 6rugrats said:

I work for a major airline.  I see so much incorrect information posted on this board.  If most posters knew how much many of the front line workers cared, and how hard we work to fix things for passengers during irrops, they would be ashamed of their complaints.  We bend over backward to try and find a solution.  And, many problems pax have they created themselves, (not showing up at the correct airport, not arriving on time for their flight, failing to pick up their bags and recheck after an international flight, etc.). We have no input into an airline's operations, we just clean up the mess and try to do it with a smile on our face.  Give us some credit once in a while.  I think in the last ten days I worked, two people told me "thank you."  Maybe treat the customer service agent like a human being once in a while, instead of your enemy.  

 

My cousin works as a gate agent for a major airline that shall go un-named but has hubs in places like Chicago, Newark, and Houston 🙂 She works her tail off as best she can to help out in any little way. 

[6rugrats]

7 minutes ago, Zach1213 said:

 

My cousin works as a gate agent for a major airline that shall go un-named but has hubs in places like Chicago, Newark, and Houston 🙂 She works her tail off as best she can to help out in any little way. 

Ha ha!  You don't have to name the airline!  Most agents I know go above and beyond to help pax get on their way.  There is not some evil conspiracy against customers.

[notscb]

2 minutes ago, 6rugrats said:

There is not some evil conspiracy against customers.

 

Based on your own response, it sounds like there's some real systemic issue from the corporate side against customers and against their own employees. The airline doesn't care. It's nice to hear of employees who still do, though, and thank you for going above and beyond where you're allowed and able to.

[fbgd]

Getting back to the topic in question....40min connections in CLT are certainly possible and I've done many with ease. I've done countless CLT connections in the last 10yrs and have only once run into an issue on a shorter connection....I have missed much longer connections through no fault of the airline or airport (weather and ATC delays due to weather being the culprits).

 

I generally prefer a slightly longer connection because I'd rather hang out in one of the Admirals Clubs/Centurion Lounge for an hour or two than sweat a connection and end up overnighting (I usually fly through CLT in the evenings). 

 

But yes, to echo others, legal minimum connection times are designed as such so that the vast majority of passengers will make their flights. You're never going to get a 100% hit rate but it's a strain on resources if you routinely have to rebook a large percentage of your passengers onto other flights.

[jack dcruiser]

Another question is, will my luggage make it too!  Can't wait to see the comments on that. 😀

[kiwimum]

We recently had a 40 minute connection in Chicago from one AA flight to another and our luggage made it.   Tracked with AirTags.  With Charlotte being a smaller footprint all should be good.

Edited November 16, 2022 by kiwimum

[FlyerTalker]

6 hours ago, jack dcruiser said:

Another question is, will my luggage make it too!  Can't wait to see the comments on that. 😀

 

MCTs are calculated so as to work for both the passenger and the luggage.

[Zach1213]

10 hours ago, kiwimum said:

We recently had a 40 minute connection in Chicago from one AA flight to another and our luggage made it.   Tracked with AirTags.  With Charlotte being a smaller footprint all should be good.

 

Actually, the footprint of AA's operation in CLT is a bit larger, I think, than their operation at ORD. While ORD is larger as a whole, AA is only a fraction of the overall traffic and (aside from most international arrivals) are centered in the relatively compact T3, which has somewhere around 80 gates, not all of which are used by AA. On the other hand, I believe AA has around 90 gates at CLT. These aren't exact number, but I believe they're close. 

Edited November 16, 2022 by Zach1213

[FlyerTalker]

CLT is the second biggest operation for AA, with ORD in third place.

[jack dcruiser]

On 11/15/2022 at 11:22 PM, kiwimum said:

We recently had a 40 minute connection in Chicago from one AA flight to another and our luggage made it.   Tracked with AirTags.  With Charlotte being a smaller footprint all should be good.

I am thinking of getting AirTags to see where my bags are.  Especially if we land late and I know my bags are still in CLT.  Any preference on those tracking devices?  I have an android, my hubby has IPhone.

[notscb]

If you have the AA app, you can sometimes (YMMV) check to see where your bags are in the app as well. I've never had a bag problem at Charlotte, especially as Charlotte has one of the largest AA operations on the east coast and runs pretty smoothly.

[Zach1213]

1 hour ago, notscb said:

Charlotte has one of the largest AA operations on the east coast and runs pretty smoothly.

 

Charlotte is the largest AA operation on the east coast, and the second largest AA operation overall.