People near Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Wednesday may notice some emergency vehicles there, but this is only a drill.
One of the nation’s busiest airports will be conducting a full-scale emergency exercise from 9 a.m. to approximately 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 28. The training will take place indoors in the under-construction Concourse A Expansion – Phase II, and aims to test the coordination and response capabilities of multiple agencies involved in emergency situations.
This drill will be closed to both the public and the media. Here’s what the airport wants the public to know:
- It will involve various agencies including airport operations, law enforcement, medic, fire and federal partners.
- All activities related to this drill will be conducted in a controlled environment away from public areas with no impact to operations or passenger activity.
- Passengers, employees and visitors at CLT Airport might notice some activities and a heightened presence of emergency response vehicles and personnel on airport roadways and around the new Concourse A, which is not operational.
- These actions are part of a scheduled exercise and pose no real threat.
- Dynamic signage will be set up on Josh Birmingham Parkway to notify drivers about an ongoing exercise.
This simulated event is part of CLT’s ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety and security of its passengers and employees, according to a release.
Labor Day travel
Labor Day marks the end of a record-breaking summer travel season, and Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is preparing for a busy holiday weekend as travelers embark on final summer getaways.
From Thursday, Aug. 29, to Wednesday, Sept. 4, the airport expects a significant increase in local traffic, with an estimated 235,000 passengers passing through Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints – representing a 15.8% rise compared to the 2023 Labor Day weekend.
Overall, CLT is forecasting total passenger traffic of 1.14 million, representing a 19% increase compared to the same time last year. This rise in passenger numbers at CLT typifies a nationwide trend, with airports and airlines operating at record-breaking totals this summer. TSA is prepared to screen more than 17 million people nationwide during the holiday.