CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte Douglas International Airport has a solution after Channel 9 reported last year on a complaint about out-of-order elevators with no clear signs pointing to the working lift.
Channel 9’s Gina Esposito uncovered a new communication plan, which is designed to get travelers moving more quickly at one of the country’s busiest airports.
All the elevators were working on Friday, Esposito reported.
Dana Shupe, of Cornelius, filed a complaint in November 2023 with the airport, saying she was forced to climb four flights of stairs on a broken foot because the elevators were out of order.
Esposito connected with Shupe last year following the investigation into elevator closures at the airport.
“Fortunately, I had a boot on, so I was still somewhat mobile,” Shupe told Esposito Friday. “But I encountered a man in a wheelchair that was trying to get into the parking deck, and there wasn’t any signage or anybody around to really help us.”
The lack of signage during an elevator closure was also an issue for another traveler whom Esposito talked with. Esposito also witnessed closures on multiple occasions.
A Charlotte Douglas Airport spokesperson had responded and said they were working on a new communication protocol for out-of-service elevators and escalators.
The airport said this week that the protocol was implemented in March.
In an email, the spokesperson said out-of-service elevators are now promptly roped off and include signage when necessary to guide passengers to the nearest unit.
They said some employees get real-time elevator outage and repair notifications, which help determine the type of messaging needed.
Shupe said she no longer has mobility issues, and she is glad to see the changes and hopes this story brings more awareness, especially as Charlotte Douglas continues to grow.
“I think it’s just very important, and you don’t really realize it until it impacts you,” Shupe said. “But there are so many people that it does impact, and it’s an unnecessary obstacle that they encounter if things aren’t working properly.”
In November 2024, Esposito also uncovered that eight elevators at the airport were shut down in 2022 and 2023 for not having working emergency phones.
Charlotte Douglas said it was a temporary issue.
However, the North Carolina Department of Labor said it was aware of at least one incident where someone received delayed care in an emergency situation because a phone wasn’t working.
Full statement from airport officials:
“Our Facilities team has confirmed that the communication protocol for elevator and escalator outages was put into place in March. While there is no formal written plan, the established standard procedure is for out-of-service units to be cordoned off using stanchions, with directional signage provided when necessary to guide passengers to the nearest unit.
“If the outage has just occurred and hasn’t been assessed yet, these measures are taken promptly following the initial assessment.
“In addition, all applicable CLT employees and badge holders receive real-time elevator outage and repair notifications. These updates allow the Communications team to determine whether broader public-facing messaging is necessary based on the location and impact of the closure.”
VIDEO: Elevator concerns at Charlotte Douglas Airport
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