The vote followed public comment and council debate that repeatedly turned on a tension council members could not fully resolve: the airport's role as the region's economic engine versus the wages and working conditions of the workers who clean planes and move passengers through it.

"As a city we have a responsibility to protect that asset and ensure it remains competitive," said District 1 Councilmember Dante Anderson, who supported the agreement. "We must protect Charlotte's economic future by signing this agreement and we must protect the people who help build that future by continuing to fight for their rights."

District 2 Councilmember Malcolm Graham framed the airport as central to the city's identity and prosperity. "The airport is our gateway to the world. It literally cements our local and regional economy. It's the thing that makes Charlotte go," he said.

The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance says the airport generates $40 billion a year and supports 185,000 jobs. Business leaders across healthcare, banking, real estate, technology, retail and transportation backed the long-term deal, arguing it underpins continued investment and job creation. More than $2 billion is expected to flow into airport improvements under the agreement.

The two dissenting votes came from District 5 Councilmember J.D. Mazuera-Arias and District 4 Councilmember Renee Johnson.

Mazuera-Arias said he declined to move for a deferral because the votes to delay were not there and postponement would not have changed the result. "We would be continuing to have the same conversation. However, I will not be voting for this today," he said. He said he would have preferred to use the lease as leverage to spur competition that could lower airfares for Charlotte residents.

Johnson said she could not support the deal while worker concerns remain unaddressed. "We've asked airport leadership to sit down with the workers, many of whom are struggling to make ends meet," she said.

Much of the opposition came from employees of Prospect and ABM, contractors that provide passenger transport and aircraft cleaning services at the airport, along with the unions representing them. Workers told council members their pay does not amount to a livable wage, that working conditions are inadequate and that job training is insufficient. Several said they earn $12.50 an hour and have no designated break area inside the airport.

Council members said the lease gives them a vehicle to address the city's business interests but does not give them authority over the contractors' wage scales or workplace conditions.

District 6 Councilmember Kimberly Owens directed her remarks at the airline. "To American Airlines, I'd ask you to be better, be a member of this community and treat us more than just a market," she said. "I would ask you to appreciate that $12.50 an hour plus tips is not livable."

The agreement makes American Airlines a fixture at Charlotte Douglas for at least another decade, with the extension option stretching the potential commitment to roughly 15.5 years.