"We think the airport will continue to be a cornerstone for future business development in this region, particularly international business," aviation director Jerry Orr tells GlobeSt.com.

The airport expansion is necessary, he says, because "you can't do business if you can't get there from here." He says he expects continued growth at the airport to fuel future commercial development.

The airport currently has four international gates, which will go to 11 by the end of the year. There are four non-stop daily flights to Europe. "We'd like to use all of our 11 gates" for future international flights, Orr says, though he has no specific carriers in mind.

Ultimately, there is a $735-million expansion plan that would double the airport's gates, add a $25-million hotel and give it a new two-mile-long monorail. That is a tentative 10-year plan.

United Airlines is hoping for Justice Department approval of its proposed $116-billion buyout of USAir, which carries 90% of Charlotte's airline passengers.

A key reason cited by United for the buyout was to acquire the Charlotte hub to compete with Delta Air Lines in Atlanta, which is now the principal Southeastern airline hub.

Charlotte airport traffic has shown double-digit growth for the past five months. The expansion will increase total gates at the airport to 88 from 69 by early 2002.

In addition to a new hotel, a priority for the airport's future is parking. There are now 13,000 parking spaces, but construction is due to start this summer on a $60-million facility that will add 4,500 spaces.

Airline passengers throughout the US will reach 1.1 billion in the next decade or so, an increase of almost 59%, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Limitations due to the air traffic control system and crowded airports are possible hindrances to growth, a trend that could benefit Charlotte because it is one of the few Eastern airports with room to grow.

Instant Insights /

Carriers' Merger Plans Won't Block Airport's $280-Mil Expansion

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