Around Town

Airport smackdown: How frustrating is CLT?

The Story

Bloomberg Businessweek surveyed more than 3,000 frequent flyers to get their opinions on the biggest airports in the U.S. and Canada. Charlotte-Douglas fared pretty well.

The Facts

CLT’s Report Card, compared to 36 airports:

Frustration level: 15th most frustrating airport. Based on time it takes to get there; how easy it is to clear security; the quality of terminals and restrooms; amenities; and how often flights take off on schedule.

Least frustrating airport: Vancouver

Most frustrating airport: Laguardia

Commute quality: 10th best airport to commute to. Based on average rush-hour driving times between city centers and airports. Public transportation factored in.

Easiest commute: Boston Logan

Worst commute: JFK

Time at the Terminal: How pleasant is the actual airport ? On a 10-point scale, with 10 being really pleasant, here’s how CLT scored:

Security .. 6.7

Restrooms .. 7.2

Shopping … 6.4

Departures: 11th best at making accurate departure times.

Best at hitting departure time: Ottawa

Worst at hitting departure time: Chicago Midway

The Quotes

C5’s Take

This airport is getting all kinds of attention. Vinepair.com just named Concourse D’s Carolina Beer Company one of the top 10 airport bars! But why hasn’t anybody mentioned the rocking chairs? They rock!

Photos: Todd Sumlin / Charlotte Observer

This story was originally published December 3, 2014 at 5:57 AM with the headline "Airport smackdown: How frustrating is CLT?."

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