Connecting Through Charlotte

On the run for home

Seven minutes. We have seven minutes to make a 12-minute journey. Lingering is not an option. Experience reminds us not to panic.

Though the time is mere suggestion, the Google Gods usually prophesize truths for covering distances. We’re on the move in CLT. In the middle of a day in the middle of a week through the middle of one of the busiest aviation hubs in the US, Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

There are choices.

Even in the wrong shoes we’re capable of a first mile 5K speed. But it requires intense concentration and risks backpack chafing. Not to mention the possibility of perspiring. And missiling hydroflasks from side pockets with sudden stops.

The fast walk option could lead to embarrassing mechanical arm swings. Becoming a crazed couple aggravating strangers with elbows-out-just-look-out we’re coming through brushing and bumping.

On this day, serendipity presents the classic draft. A Chair-Man. A Wheeler. He’s old. Maybe 70. Don’t be fooled. A CLT Chair-Man knows how to make time. These folks are employed by higher airport authorities to snatch the immobile and roll them to connecting flights with experienced aplomb. Notice the large print walking time signs printed by the Gate arrows. A Chair-Man will beat this time every time.

His handsome groomed gray afro complimenting a well-fit blue sport jacket. Black walking shoes long striding a rhythmic pacing. His voice a gentle, but all-powerful “on your left” repeated command cutting a swath through the masses. His tone got more respect than anyone we saw in TSA. Like finding those two much bigger runner friends side by side at marathon mile 18, we slid in behind to draft and started making time with a moderate cardio pace.

Chair-Man led us all the way through Charlie.

C-Gate, Charlie, where we deplaned into the rush. Then we lost him. You usually lose the draft at CLT center. This is where the Gates leg away on different sides. Chair-Man wheeled his leg-braced cargo towards D-Gate and since our connection was in far away A, we were, again, on our own.

M took the lead. Our speed built noticeably.

A-Gate means going straight ahead, arrowing to the People Mover. You keep moving on the People-Mover. Stepping onto the just wide enough steel conveyer without loss of stride is the key to not falling ass-over-tincups.

The CLT center is a sky bright high ceiling atrium, tree lined with rockers in the shade and there’s people in the rockers just sitting there, rocking, and you try not to give thought to how the hell they have the time to just be sitting there, rocking, and stay to the left because there’s a mess of folks on the People Mover not moving since they’re just standing there and they should stay on the right but you know there’s always wingnuts on the left who don’t get it and keep your eyes up because the People Mover suddenly stops moving and you ‘d better be ready so you don’t fall in a sudden unbalanced sprawl.

Look out for the walls. Of people.

At least three different gates in Alpha land are boarding. If they’ve called Group 3, that means Groups 4 to 9 have already built a wall of wait. One person takes up the space of two, since they’ve brought so much stuff to stuff into overhead bins. Why do people bring so much stuff…why do the airlines let people bring so much stuff to stuff… stop the wandering thoughts and look for gaps in the wall. Pivot. Move accordingly. A little less speed lengthens decision making.

When connecting to home we always have a buffer. The military buffer. Since we live in a military town, when the scratchy speaker voice calls the boarding to begin with the military up first, half the folks on the plane form the line. It can take twenty minutes.

As we get to our gate joy prevails. We have time to pee.

Our connection for beginning the trip offered nine minutes to get from the far away E-Gate to Charlie. Fly into CLT on a small CJR and you’ll arrive through the land of Echo. The little jets have smaller needs, and the handling and equipment is all in one Gate. Echo is a distant mile from Center. And don’t use the bathrooms at Echo. Dirty. Disgusting. Consider yourself advised. Hold it. Start moving.

Air Travel is hard. The queues are too long, people too rude, delays too common. Connecting through Charlotte has become a conscious choice for our sky-bound adventuring. No lines for the escalators. No trains nor trams. Just get to CLT center and follow the arrows. And a Chair-Man if you can. Though we plan our connections with time enough in our imaginations, reality often puts us on the run. At CLT we, at least, get to control the pace. We make our connection and usually have time to pee.

We’ve never experienced an Echo to Alpha connection. But we’re waiting. And we’ll be ready.

1. Cover photo by Author. Once you land at CLT, you get to spend lots of time waiting in line to reach your gate.

2. Welcome to CLT. Your connecting flight isn't waiting. Author photo.

3. On the People Mover at CLT center. Author photo.

4. After rushing to get to the CLT connecting gate on time, you get to spend lots of time waiting in line for take-off. Author photo.

© Copyright William Hazel, 2025