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Flight 1549 / US Airways / Miracle on the Hudson / Chesley Sullenberger / Museum Travel / → All Tags

The Miracle on the Hudson Plane is On Its Way to a Permanent Home

Flight 1549—aka The Miracle on the Hudson—is now on its way to a more permanent home in Charlotte, but getting there is proving to be quite a challenge. That’s because this time it’s taking the highway, and there are definitely a few bridges and byways not designed with an Airbus A320 in mind.

Like all good road trips along the East Coast, those involved with moving the plane decided to get a head start over the weekend and changed the original departure date of today up to Saturday. It’s unfortunately not just a straight shot down I-95, as the trailer that’s carrying the plane—it was custom designed for its unique load—is trying to navigate smaller streets and tight turns.

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Airports / Airport News / Toilets / Travel News / Weird Travel / CLT / Charlotte Travel / US Airways / → All Tags

What's the Deal with Airport Bathroom Attendants?

Airport washroom attendants. Yes, they do exist. Don't be frightened when you enter the bathroom at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, because there will be an airport employee there to greet you, guide you to an available stall, and even pump the hand towel machine for you. It's weird and potentially off-putting and no other US airport seems to have this, so what's the deal with them?

The issue of the CLT bathroom attendants is pretty common; even skateboarder Tony Hawk has tweeted about them, and it wasn't until a friend ran into them during a US Airways layover this weekend that we realized how unsettling the unexpected interaction can be. Heck—the best restaurants and five-star hotels with happening lobby scenes don't even use attendants any more. So why this airport?

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Miracle on the Hudson / US Airways / North Carolina Travel / Museum Travel / Airplane News / Chesley Sullenberger / Flight 1549 / → All Tags

Sully Sullenberger's 'Miracle on the Hudson' Plane to Finally Rest In Peace?

Believe it or not, January 15th marks the two-year anniversary since US Airways pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger successfully water-landed his Airbus A320 on New York's Hudson River after a bird strike took down both of the plane's engines. All 155 crew and passengers onboard survived and thus Flight 1549 became known as the "Miracle on the Hudson." Sully retired almost a year ago, but the battered fuselage hasn't yet reached such a peaceful conclusion; it's been up for auction (mainly for parts) since last January, and it may finally have found a buyer.

According to Gothamist, this piece of aviation history could end up in a place where all are welcome to come and see it:

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Travel Snapshot / Airports / CLT / Airport Bathrooms / Airport Rocking Chairs / Plane Spotting / → All Tags

Plane-Spotting from a Rocking Chair at CLT

On a recent layover at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, we noticed these cute rocking chairs just outside the E gates. Even better, several of the chairs were located near outlets meaning you could charge your phone, observe the tarmac scene and rock yourself. And if you want to use your laptop, CLT has free WiFi! Pretty cool!

Another interesting service we noticed at CLT was that they have bathroom attendants in the bathrooms. Yes, just like the ones you see in NYC restaurants and fancy nightclubs. We liked this service because the bathrooms were nearly pristine and very orderly. But the pressure to tip--a plastic jar with the word "HAVE A NICE DAY" on them--was uncomfortable. Eeee.

Related Stories:
· Plane Spotting coverage [Jaunted]
· Airport WiFi coverage [Jaunted]
· CLT Airport [Official Site]

Killer New Music Venues / Live Music / Best-Small-New-Music-Venues-in-the-US / Music Travel / Charlotte Travel / → All Tags

Silversun Pickups at the Brand New Fillmore Charlotte

When you think of the Fillmore the first thing that pops into your head is sparkling chandeliers, thick ruby curtains, a wooden dance floor and legendary shows. The legendary auditorium on Fillmore and Geary hosted *everyone* in the sixites, and when it was reopened in the eighties it didn't skip a beat. We have been lucky enough to see plenty of shows at the SF Fillmore, thus when we heard Charlotte was opening a new Fillmore in June of 2009 we were anxious to check it out.

Charlotte is a millennial city in every way and in the midst of a ten year boom, so it makes perfect sense that the Fillmore brand chose the Queen City as a key spot for Fillmore brand expansion.

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Roller Coasters / Theme Parks / Amusement Parks / Nascar / → All Tags

Weeks Later, There's Already Another Dale Earnhardt Coaster

The Intimidator has already risen again. Just a few weeks after the announcement of a new record setting Dale Earnhardt themed coaster, another theme park in the south wants a piece of the NASCAR action. Carowinds, just outside of Charlotte, has revealed the details on their biggest and baddest roller coaster yet.

This new thriller is different than the initial Earnhardt ride, so coaster fans from across the country will have a couple new things to test out for the 2010 season. This ride will climb to 232 feet tall, and then pretty much drop you right back down, as the first drop is 211 feet towards the ground. Of course after that they’ll be plenty of twists, turns, and drops that will make anyone regret that corn dog that they had before boarding. Although not quite racecar speeds, the coaster will hit 75 MPH, which is not too shabby.

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New Routes / Airline News / Hawaii Travel / US Airways / CLT / → All Tags

US Airways Says Aloha All The Way From Charlotte

Despite the slowdown in the travel industry and flight capacity cuts, US Airways is moving forward with a new route to Honolulu. Beginning on December 17—ideal timing for Christmas vacations—the airline will be sending a Boeing 767 all the way to Hawaii from Charlotte. This will be the airline’s longest nonstop flight from its North Carolina hub, with the 10-hour flight easily beating out trips to Europe.

Tickets are available now, and if you really want to get on the very first trip, it looks like it will set you back about $964. We’d look for a better deal, since there probably won’t be too much fanfare to celebrate this inaugural voyage. At least it leaves at 9:45am, so you’ll be able to kick-off your tropical trip when you arrive at 2:59 pm Hawaii time.

Our biggest concern with this new plan is that it’s a really lengthy flight on an airline not known for their in-flight amenities. Remember that they just recently reversed their position on charging for drinks. And a quick reference check of our handy dandy in-flight entertainment guide reveals that we’ll be struggling with an overhead movie and 10 channels of rad music—if we’re lucky.

At least once the plane lands in the Aloha State, all will be well with the world—until you fly home.

Related Stories:
· US Airways To Offer A Nonstop Flight To Hawaii [Charlotte Observer]
· Sip Pre-Flight Mai Tais Upstairs In Delta's Newish 747 To Hawaii [Jaunted]
· Airline News coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: John Creasey]

Hotels / Airport Hotels / Business Travel / Hyatt Place / → All Tags

Hyatt Place Warms Our Heart While On Business

When we are away from the Jaunted office, there’s a short list of things we look for in a hotel stay. We want something that’s comfortable, clean, and accessible to whatever we’re in town for. We’ll leave all the fancy pants stuff up to our sister site, Hotel Chatter; they’re way better at that than we are.

On our recent Charlotte Field Trip, we got to try out Hyatt’s new offering—Hyatt Place—and we were really digging it, so much so that we’re willing to trade in our usual love for Courtyard by Marriott and Hilton Garden Inn. From now on, when it comes to a somewhat budget friendly business lodging, we say go Hyatt or go home.

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Charlotte Field Trip / Pizza / Restaurants / → All Tags

The Pizza Places Of Charlotte

On your next layover in Charlotte, don't be afraid to check out the city if you have the time. There’s a lot more to do than to just chill out on those rocking chairs between the terminals. Here are some tips for getting around quickly.

A trip to Charlotte isn’t all about checking out different neighborhoods and fooling around on the light rail. It’s serious work that creates some serious hunger, and we knew we wanted to check out the Queen City’s pizza scene while we were in town. Obviously, the city isn’t a place know for their pizza, but we did discover a few shining stars.

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Charlotte Field Trip / Attractions / Malls / → All Tags

Hanging Around Charlotte's EpiCentre

On your next layover in Charlotte, don't be afraid to check out the city if you have the time. There’s a lot more to do than to just chill out on those rocking chairs between the terminals. Here are some tips for getting around quickly.

Every city that wants its share of the spotlight tries to create some sort of downtown entertainment and shopping Mecca. We recently saw Los Angeles adding to its “arsenal” of downtown attractions, and during our recent field trip we witnessed what Charlotte has up its sleeve. After taking the LYNX Blue Line to Uptown, we stumbled upon the city’s newest complex—The EpiCentre.

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Charlotte Field Trip / Neighborhoods / To Do in Charlotte / → All Tags

The Queen City's South End Neighborhood Shines

On your next layover in Charlotte, check out the city if you have time. There’s a lot more to do than to just chill out on those rocking chairs between the terminals.

If you’re not feeling hip enough to hang out with the cool kids in NoDa, there’s always Charlotte’s South End neighborhood. A mix of urban development and historic mills allows even the most timid traveler to find something to call his own. There area is a lot bigger and spread out than we imagined, but if you stick to Camden Road and the side streets you’ll be all set.

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Charlotte Field Trip / Public Transportation / Train Travel / Light Rail / → All Tags

Say Meow To The Charlotte LYNX

On your next layover in Charlotte, don't be afraid to check out the city if you have the time. There’s a lot more to do than to just chill out on those rocking chairs between the terminals. Here are some tips for getting around quickly.

Late in 2007, Charlotte cut the ribbon on its new light rail system. The LYNX Blue Line connects Uptown (which non-residents would think of as downtown) with a portion of the outer 485 beltline to the south. Of course the initial response was positive, but as things moved forward the criticism began to roll in. Some even wondered if the whole project was worth it and questioned its profitability.

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