Charlotte airport April Fool’s joke left some who fell for it angry and distraught

As storm-induced delays mounted at Charlotte Douglas International Saturday, a totally unrelated announcement by the airport caused feelings similar to airsickness in some who spotted the shocking news.

“As part of our renovations and to create a more open feel at #CLTairport, we have removed the rocking chairs,” the airport said on Twitter at 10:55 a.m. “Enjoy the open space!”

The airport included a picture of three of its beloved rocking chars lined near a window looking out to a Southwest Airlines plane on the tarmac. Thank goodness it wasn’t an American Airlines jet.

The reaction was quicker than a takeoff.

“Screw that,” a Raleigh woman wrote on Twitter. “The rockers are the best part about CLTAirport.”

“They’re iconic!” another woman posted on the site. “They should be brought back!”

“What marketing genius told you to do that?” asked a man from Boone. “That was a part of clt!!!!!”

“Boo hoo hoo,” another man bellowed.

Such dismay was to be expected in a city with this longstanding truism: Y’all can honk your obnoxious car horns to your blessed heart’s content, tell us how better it is whence you came, but never, ever, ever, mess with our airport rocking chairs!

As the airport said on Facebook on #NationalRelaxationDay in 2021: “Our signature white rocking chairs are the perfect way to indulge ... Find one in the #CLTairport terminal and rock the stress away while you wait for your flight.”

Some on Twitter who didn’t fall for the joke still found no humor in the attempt.

“Happy April Fools!” a woman posted on the site. “Though really worst joke ever as that’s the best part of @CLTairport.”

“An even better joke would be telling us you’ve fixed that absolute abomination that is the security lines,” a Charlotte man with separate issues said.

Even this skeptical reporter wasn’t sure the announcement was or wasn’t for real.

Following the journalistic rule to check it out even if your mother says it’s true, we contacted the airport’s media affairs office.

“Yes, that is an April Fool’s Day joke,” a spokesperson soon replied in an email. “We were just having a little bit of fun. The rocking chairs aren’t going anywhere.”

Phew! We knew you were fibbing. Really!