TagCharlotte Douglas International Airport(6)

The January/February 2026 issue of Airport Improvement magazine includes a feature on Seattle-Tacoma International Airport detailing how a cyberattack led to operational setbacks, prompting the airport to refine its processes and adopt renewed cybersecurity precautions. The article is one of several in the issue covering infrastructure, technology, and resilience projects at major airports across the United States. Note that this publication does not contain specific content related to Sea-Tac Airport noise policy.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) submitted comments to the FAA in October 2022 opposing a proposed new policy on land use changes at federally acquired airport land, arguing that existing regulations already adequately govern non-aeronautical land use. CLT requested that if the policy moves forward, the FAA clarify approval timelines, lease evaluation procedures, and criteria for mixed-use land decisions. The letter emphasizes that non-aeronautical development is essential for airports to remain financially self-sustaining and to ensure compatible land use around airport property.

A 2021 Aviation Noise and Emissions Symposium presentation by Charlotte Douglas International Airport Noise Abatement Specialist Dan Gardon explores the shifting landscape of aircraft noise complaints, noting that community annoyance is increasingly driven by the frequency of overhead flights rather than individual loud noise events. The presentation examines the opportunities and challenges airports face in dispersing flight paths to manage overflight noise. While focused on Charlotte Douglas, the insights are broadly relevant to airport noise management policy across the industry.

This document compares the governance practices of three major U.S. airport advisory committees — Charlotte-Douglas (NC), LAX (CA), and Chicago O'Hare — across key issues including membership by elected officials, public recording of meetings, agenda-setting, advance notice of materials, and inclusion of expert witnesses. The comparison is used to evaluate StART (Sea-Tac Airport Roundtable), which currently lacks most of these features, with the BAC (Boeing Airport Committee) flagging items such as public recordings and expert witness inclusion as highest priorities. The findings highlight significant gaps between StART's current practices and the more transparent, publicly accessible models used at other major airports.