By rssfeeds-admin
Shutdown Fallout: Flight cancellations hit Charlotte airport
(QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Flight cancellations tied to the ongoing government shutdown have officially begun, and Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is feeling the effects.
CLT is one of 40 airports that saw around four percent of their flights canceled. That figure, while small, will grow to ten percent next week.
Federal officials have said the cuts are needed to lessen the burden on air traffic controllers who have been without pay for a month.
American Airlines, the largest carrier at Charlotte Douglas, plans to cancel a total of 220 flights a day through Monday nationwide. At CLT on Friday, Queen City News noticed a handful of connections, which were all smaller, regional flights. But as cuts grow, that will mean less revenue for the region’s busiest airport.
“About 15 million people use the airport to travel to and from Charlotte every year. And that connects those businesses to opportunities, brings visitors who enjoy our restaurants, hotels, attractions, southern hospitality,” said Dr. Daniel Findley with NC State’s Institute for Transportation Research and Education.
Findley added that it will be some time before it is known what harm, if any, the cuts could do to the local economy.
“More specifically, what we’re looking at is what types of flights, what types of passengers, what markets they serve, impacts on connections and connecting flights. They may need to actually reach their destination,” said Findley.
MORE FROM QCNEWS.COM
Charlotte Airport
Discover more from RSS Feeds Cloud
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.