CLT Passenger Numbers Dip In 2016

The number of passengers flying in and out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport dropped last year.  

The dip itself–1 percent of total passengers—was less than dramatic. But, it is raising eyebrows at an airport whose traffic has doubled over the past fifteen years. In fact, it's the first reversal at Charlotte Douglas since 2009, during the depths of the recession.

So, why the change in last year's totals? Airport officials point to slightly lower numbers of passengers on American Airlines flights as one possible cause. In 2013, American merged with US Airways, which led to a “re-shuffling of flights.” Hence, the drop.

But the Charlotte Observer reports the decline has been offset by gains in other areas. The airport saw a 14 percent increase in its cargo traffic last year, and the number of international travelers jumped by 10 percent over the same period.

American Airlines' Katie Cody calls the airport an essential hub, and she says they are continuing to add flights there.