Flying High

Columbia airport traffic soars, city proposes long-term improvements

What a difference a year has made in the life of Columbia Regional Airport. Last summer, the traffic count plummeted to zero as the city waited for a new airline to start service. There was talk about the airport losing its federal subsidy for essential air service because of the low passenger counts.

Then, in mid-August of last year, Mesaba, a regional carrier for Northwest Airlines, started offering three flights daily to and from Memphis, a hub with connections to 88 cities. The Department of Transportation kicked in a $2.2 million annual subsidy.

The service, now operated by Delta Airlines, has brought passenger numbers up to the highest they’ve been since 2002. About 80 percent of the seats on the three flights are being filled.

The Master Plan

Columbia Regional Airport’s revised 20-year master plan outlines about $64 million dollars in projects, including $16.5 million from local funds. Members of the Columbia City Council will discuss the updated master plan at the pre-council work session on Monday. The Airport Advisory Board is expected to approve the plan at its monthly meeting on Wednesday. The Council is expected to put the plan on the agenda for public hearing late this month or in early November.

One of the main aspects of the master plan is extensive work on both of the runways. Both runways will be extended and will have pavement repairs done during the next three to five years, if Council approves the plan. The smaller perpendicular cross-winds runway will be finished first so it can accommodate larger aircraft when the main runway is closed for construction. The airport will also purchase some adjacent land, expand hangar space and renovate the terminal.