Pilots air grievances over break-ins at CLT employee lot

CHARLOTTE — While pilots are up in the skies, they say thieves are eyeing the prize in their cars.

There have been at least a dozen break-ins at employee parking lots at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport over the past month, and just this week, one pilot told Channel 9 his car was stolen from one of them.

Union leaders for American Airlines pilots arranged a meeting with airport officials to express their frustration and disappointment with parking lot security.

The union leaders told Channel 9′s Evan Donovan that the city came back with several ideas for improvement, but they’re not enough.

“This has been an issue for several years,” said Erik DeWinne, who represents thousands of AA pilots who fly primarily out of Charlotte.

DeWinne, who is the local vice chairman of their union, says pilots have been sending him pictures from recent vandalism and break-ins in employee parking lots in Charlotte. He says the incidents seem to be increasing, making more pilots and other airport workers feel unsafe.

“I think it probably has to do with the location issue. There’s a lot of foliage trees and places to hide,” DeWinne said.

According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s crime mapping site, there have been at least 15 stolen cars and dozens of break-ins or vandalism at airport parking lots since the beginning of August, though the map doesn’t specifically organize by employee lots.

CMPD told us there were 34 larcenies from cars in employee lots through early September, and 40 through the same period last year. One spokesperson called that a “minimal amount” given that about 18,000 airport employees park there every month.

In response, the union is providing contact information and asking pilots to pressure city leaders.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles responded with some solutions, and two weeks ago, the union met with airport officials and CMPD.

“I was left with after that meeting feeling pretty underwhelmed, because these all seem like temporary fixes,” DeWinne said. “You know, a couple of cameras here and there, some extra police, you know, but that’s not a real long-term solution to the problem.”

Officials with the city of Charlotte and the airport told Channel 9 that there’s now a plan in place. That includes more police patrols and cameras, and they’re also reviewing options for a dedicated parking lot attendant or assigned security patrol.

However, there’s no timeline for this plan yet.

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