Interesting article about Charlotte airport....but not surprising to some of us

[jennmaybe]

This is why we hate the Charlotte airport. Even though Charlotte is closer for us, we will drive to RDU anytime we can just to avoid Charlotte. This article mentions Good Friday, but we have been in these lines in Charlotte when it wasn't a holiday.

 

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article75297712.html

[fbgd]

The last 4-5 times I've cleared the TSA Pre check line at CLT (including yesterday morning) I was the only passenger in the entire security area.

 

Take control of the problem.

[jennmaybe]

The last 4-5 times I've cleared the TSA Pre check line at CLT (including yesterday morning) I was the only passenger in the entire security area.

 

Take control of the problem.

 

That is very interesting. The last time we flew out of Charlotte, our flight was at 7:25am. We arrived, checked-in and were in the security line by 5:45am. We were in line for 50 minutes.....we were getting pretty anxious. No reason to be in line that long so early in the am. ;)

[Chairsin]

There was a very good article in the New York Times yesterday about much longer security lines at many US airports and how it will only get worse this summer -- the perfect storm of reduced TSA staffing and an increase in the number of travelers.

[FlyerTalker]

Let me see if I can connect the dots:

 

1) There is a move to increase the "security fee" attached to tickets.

 

2) This would give more money to TSA.

 

3) There are "staffing" issues occurring, causing greater wait times at major airports.

 

4) A rationale for the increase could be that there is a need for additional funding to alleviate wait times.

 

Now, to say that waits are being deliberately created to justify additional funding.....I'll let everyone come to their own conclusions.

[waterbug123]

in the security line by 5:45am. We were in line for 50 minutes.....we were getting pretty anxious. No reason to be in line that long so early in the am. ;)

 

I'm not condoning the TSA not having enough staff, but it's a little misguided to think that just because you had a 7:24am flight, there shouldn't be a line at security. Next time you're in the airport take a look at the departures board and count the number of flights scheduled to depart between 5:30 and 7:30 am. I think you'll find that it's not the "slow" time of day you might have assumed. ;)

[jennmaybe]

I'm not condoning the TSA not having enough staff, but it's a little misguided to think that just because you had a 7:24am flight, there shouldn't be a line at security. Next time you're in the airport take a look at the departures board and count the number of flights scheduled to depart between 5:30 and 7:30 am. I think you'll find that it's not the "slow" time of day you might have assumed. ;)

 

It was not the first time we flew out of Charlotte and we ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS do the early flights. We have also flown out of RDU way more than Charlotte. That was the only time out of all the airports we have flown out of that we have ever stood in security line that early. Just Charlotte.

[FlyerTalker]

Following up on my previous post:

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/05/04/tsa-asks-congress-overtime-shorten-lines/83917826/

 

Not that I was psychic, but draw your own conclusions.

[slidergirl]

If people are looking for the "cheapest" flight for their one flight a year, they sure are not going to give TSA $85 for PreCheck. That $17/year they would be paying is like the $17 difference between flying Spirit or Delta for the same route - some people will pick Spirit. It's kind of like the passport issue - some who only do closed loop Caribbean cruises won't pay the extra for those passports (they decide it isn't worth it and will figure out how to get home from a foreign port if an emergency arises).

 

I was at SJU two weeks ago - the lines were horrendous because of the people disgorged by the cruise ships. I was soooooo happy I had Global Entry and got to bypass that mess!!! Next time, I'll plan better and not fly out the day that the ships end their cruises!!!!

[zqvol]

This is why we hate the Charlotte airport. Even though Charlotte is closer for us, we will drive to RDU anytime we can just to avoid Charlotte. This article mentions Good Friday, but we have been in these lines in Charlotte when it wasn't a holiday.

 

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article75297712.html

 

 

You can always drive to GSO, probably closer than RDU, and often less expensive than flying out of CLT.

[waterbug123]

It was not the first time we flew out of Charlotte and we ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS do the early flights. We have also flown out of RDU way more than Charlotte. That was the only time out of all the airports we have flown out of that we have ever stood in security line that early. Just Charlotte.

 

 

I thought in your first post you said you hate flying out of CLT because it's always so bad at security, but then this post makes it sound like this was the only time you actually had to wait in line there. Confusing :confused:

[Sparky2]

If people are looking for the "cheapest" flight for their one flight a year, they sure are not going to give TSA $85 for PreCheck. That $17/year they would be paying is like the $17 difference between flying Spirit or Delta for the same route - some people will pick Spirit. It's kind of like the passport issue - some who only do closed loop Caribbean cruises won't pay the extra for those passports (they decide it isn't worth it and will figure out how to get home from a foreign port if an emergency arises).

 

I was at SJU two weeks ago - the lines were horrendous because of the people disgorged by the cruise ships. I was soooooo happy I had Global Entry and got to bypass that mess!!! Next time, I'll plan better and not fly out the day that the ships end their cruises!!!!

 

I bought TSA Precheck in 2015 after having been given it free several times. It's worth it to me because I fly 3 times per year. However, I wish I had known about Global Entry because for $15 more, I'd be able to get in the shorter line at Port Everglades next January.

 

I forgot to add that I'm flying to Charlottesville, VA from Detroit Metro and will be changing planes in Charlotte. That was the reason I read this thread.

Edited May 20, 2016 by Sparky2