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. ]]> kjb 2011-06-06T08:34:30-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/4/11/0494/73231

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? ]]> JetSetCD 2011-04-11T16:44:05-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/1/4/91441/79952

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: ]]> JetSetCD 2011-01-04T10:41:14-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/5/18/101823/008

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] ]]> juliana 2010-05-18T13:15:38-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/12/103946/39

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.

]]> markj 2009-10-12T12:25:56-05:00 35.2393566 -80.846396 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/9/3/74935/52421

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. ]]> kjb 2009-09-03T09:14:45-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/22/71021/0656

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] ]]> kjb 2009-06-22T12:47:15-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/