Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is among the busiest aviation hubs in the United States, managing nearly sixty million travelers last year alone. Over the last ten years, the airport has experienced a substantial increase in passenger traffic—about thirty-three percent—straining its current facilities. With only three runways available, CLT has faced challenges in handling this surge. To meet future demand, the airport has embarked on an ambitious expansion plan that includes adding a fourth parallel runway, scheduled to open in 2027.

Despite this major investment, recent investigations have revealed a significant safety concern: the new runway will not feature runway status lights (RWSL). These critical safety devices, standard at many leading airports nationwide, provide pilots with instant visual cues regarding runway occupancy and potential hazards. The decision to exclude RWSL from the new runway has prompted safety advocates to question the airport’s commitment to risk mitigation.

Runway status lights are installed flush with runway and taxiway surfaces and activate automatically to display red signals when it is unsafe for aircraft or vehicles to enter or cross a runway, or to commence takeoff. Operating independently from air traffic control, this system uses advanced algorithms that analyze live airport surface radar data to issue immediate warnings. Their implementation has proven to drastically reduce runway incursions—dangerous situations where unauthorized movements onto runways occur.

Currently, over twenty of the nation’s largest airports utilize runway status lighting systems, including CLT on its existing runways. The absence of these lights on the new runway is notable, especially since airport officials have cited budgetary limits, stating that the $1 billion project funding does not cover the cost of installing this safety technology.

The upcoming runway will be a ten-thousand-foot-long, one hundred fifty-foot-wide strip, positioned parallel and to the west of the existing Runway 18C/36C. Construction, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, began in 2023 with an anticipated operational date in fall 2027. The design also includes North and South End-Around Taxiways (NEAT and SEAT) intended to help aircraft maneuver around the runway ends without crossing active runways, aiming to improve traffic flow.

Nevertheless, aviation experts warn that while end-around taxiways enhance efficiency, they cannot substitute the safety layer that runway status lights provide. Given the proximity of three parallel runways on CLT’s west side, air traffic controllers will need to coordinate complex aircraft movements, particularly during peak hours. Such operations often require aircraft to cross active runways, scenarios in which RWSL can prevent accidents by delivering timely, automated warnings.

Complicating the issue, the airport claimed that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) no longer endorses runway access lighting technology. However, FAA officials have denied this, pointing to current projects such as the rollout of runway access lights at Memphis International Airport in collaboration with FedEx. The FAA also plans to expand availability of these safety systems to more airports nationwide as funding becomes available.

Since opening in 1927, Charlotte Douglas International has grown into a key international gateway, serving nearly sixty million passengers annually and offering connections to 189 destinations in 28 countries. Its busiest route is to Orlando, with close to 850,000 travelers each year, while the longest nonstop flight extends to Athens, covering over 5,400 miles. The airport accommodates eighteen airlines, with American Airlines dominating approximately seventy percent of all flights.

As CLT prepares to launch its fourth runway, the exclusion of runway status lights highlights a critical discussion about balancing financial constraints with the necessity of passenger safety. With increasing traffic volumes and operational complexity, the integration of advanced safety technology remains essential. Observers will closely watch how the airport addresses these challenges as the new runway nears completion.

The post Charlotte Douglas Faces Industry Backlash as New Ten Thousand Foot Runway Opens Without Runway Status Lights Despite Federal Aviation Administration Support appeared first on Travel And Tour World.