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I-Team investigates smoking rules at Charlotte airport  

An investigation by the Newschannel 36 I-Team reveals a burning controversy at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.

It's no secret that after a long flight, smokers are looking for a place to light up. But at the same time, non-smokers want the smoke kept away from them.

On three separate trips to the airport, our cameras watched as travelers lit up in areas that were off limits. It was not an isolated problem. Our I-Team saw smokers over and over and over again, all breaking the rules in the most public of places.

There are signs posted outside -- on the curb, on walls, and on the ceiling -- all warning people of no-smoking areas, and directing smokers to the courtesy smoking points. Yet we found smokers disregarding those signs time after time.

"When you're waiting for a ride to pick you up and you have no choice but to stand outside, you're stuck there with the smokers," said Monica Godshall, a frequent traveler who tipped off NewsChannel 36 to the problem.

During our investigation, we saw people smoking in front of children and in crowded areas. And it's not just travelers. We saw workers breaking the rules, too. We took the problem to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport Aviation Director Jerry Orr. He told us the airport is aware of the problem, and they frequently get complaints from people on both sides of the issue.

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