The rally centers on a New Soil Analytics report revealing that CLT passengers paid 33.4% more per nonstop domestic fare over the last decade than travelers at comparable airports. In 2024 alone, fares were 20.4% higher, and in 2018 the gap reached 42.3%. Charlotte passengers paid an average of $119 more per round trip, totaling $5.62 billion in excess costs since 2015, with $3.26 billion coming from Charlotte-area residents.
Workers say American Airlines’ near-monopoly—handling nearly 90% of CLT’s passenger traffic—drives those costs. They argue that despite record revenues, many contracted airport employees still earn as little as $12.50 an hour, and face chronic understaffing and unsafe conditions.
“Too many of us are still struggling just to survive. I know what that struggle looks like. I’ve lived it. I’ve gone from staying in a storage unit, to an extended-stay hotel, to sleeping in my car,” said Timothy Lowe II, a High Lift Driver servicing American Airlines planes. “There are workers who keep this airport moving every single day and can’t afford a place to live—let alone a ticket to take a vacation.”…