77 replies to this topic

[krazeeboi]

Local governments and the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce have pledged enough money to fund Columbia Metro Airport’s application for a $750,000 federal grant to improve service. The airport plans to file later this month in hopes of receiving the grant to promote better and more affordable air service in mid-sized cities. The grant program from the U.S. Department of Transportation is called the Small Community Air Service Development Program. It would provide $750,000 to use as incentive money. In this case, according to Dan Mann, the Columbia Metro executive director, that money would be used to prod one airline into bring larger planes into Columbia -- by offsetting the airline’s risk of a loss.

[krazeeboi]

I was reading an article in the NY Times about Southwest Airlines turning 40, and I thought about CAE when I read this part:

With AirTran, Southwest will inherit a fleet of 86 Boeing 717s that it will have to integrate into its operations. Mr. Kelly says those planes will provide more flexibility, allowing Southwest to serve lower-traffic cities that would be uneconomical to serve with the larger 737.

Any thoughts?

[krazeeboi]

Airport officials are expecting Amazon.com's arrival to give the commercial cargo hub a substantial boost. Company executive Fred Kiga cited the airport’s closeness, and the presence of Federal Express and United Parcel Service shipping hubs there as among the main reasons that Amazon.com selected the Midlands for the facility. CAE ranks among the top 10% of nearly 400 airports in the nation in the amount of freight handled, but freight levels have declined from a year ago, mainly due to the recession.

[krazeeboi]

Vision Airlines, a low-cost airline headquartered in Atlanta, announced Tuesday non-stop air service from the Columbia Metropolitan Airport to Destin/Fort Walton Beach, FL and Sanford/Orlando, FL. The service is expected to begin April 1. Flights will operate two days a week and fares will start at an introductory rate of $49 each way if booked before January 23. After the introductory period, fares will range from $69-$199 each way.

[krazeeboi]

The state Transportation Commission on Thursday voted to seek about $388 million in bond money to pay for the John Hardee Expressway. The plan is to use about $63 million of the motorist-funded pot of money to match some $14 million in federal and local contributions to construct an interchange and the 3/4-mile stretch of four-lane highway to Columbia Metropolitan Airport’s doorstep. If everything goes smoothly, construction should start by the summer of 2012.

[krazeeboi]

Vision Airlines will stop service to Destin, Fla., from Columbia Metropolitan Airport July 17 — after just 3 1/2 months of service, airport spokeswoman Lynne Douglas said Monday. Douglas said the airline also is stopping service from Greenville; Huntsville, Ala.; Savannah, Ga.; and Baton Rouge, La.

[vicupstate]

Where is Destin, BTW?

Florida panhandle

No wonder it didn't last.

[SCxpBrussel]

It is frustrating to watch low-cost airlines struggle in Columbia. In my opinion, the business models of the airlines that failed at CAE are flawed. Two flights a week is not enough to build a customer base - most people have more important factors in determining when to take a trip than when one relatively unknown budget airline offers its two flights per week. Low-cost airlines can succeed here if they follow the Independence Air model of offering flights every day to a hub airport. I know Independence Air eventually went bankrupt, but they certainly did well at CAE, eventually offering direct flights to Florida, bypassing the Dulles hub.

I hope CAE and the governmental bodies of the Midlands get their act together and get Southwest here as soon as possible. My understanding from people who were involved in the process is that Southwest's rejection of CAE had nothing to do with Columbia but had everything to do with the landing fees at CAE and the general lack of governmental cooperation in the Midlands. Southwest apparently felt Greenville and Columbia were very similar markets, but chose GSP because of its lower fees and coordinated recruitment efforts.

Edited by SCxpBrussel, 30 June 2011 - 01:43 PM.

[thefuture]

Whatever happened to runway expansion? At one time the runways where suppose to be extended over the road making them over 10,000 feet. That would help slot with the heavy cargo aircraft.

Also, when is the new road from the interstate to the airport suppose to start?

[krazeeboi]

Brookgreen, on 11 May 2010 - 06:31 PM, said:

CAE is going to shrivel up and die.

Thankfully, it appears as though this prediction isn't quite panning out. The airport, which is trying to turn around a six-year decline in passenger traffic, reported 492,458 passengers boarded flights at Columbia in 2011. That’s just 140, or .03% less than 2010’s mark of 492,598. Of course, more work needs to be done to make the airport more competitive, but so far it doesn't appear that Southwest was the death knell many were predicting (or even hoping) it would be.

[lucjanrc]

So much for shriveling up and dying...

CAE is off to an awesome start this year with passenger numbers up 8.1% for January, 12.4% for February, and 8.3% for March. Can't wait to see the impact of the new Newark service which starts September 6th, the new New York-Laguardia service which starts July 11th, and the 200 seat increase on Delta Airlines which starts June 8th.

[growingup15]

lucjanrc, on 14 April 2012 - 08:04 AM, said:

So much for shriveling up and dying...

CAE is off to an awesome start this year with passenger numbers up 8.1% for January, 12.4% for February, and 8.3% for March. Can't wait to see the impact of the new Newark service which starts September 6th, the new New York-Laguardia service which starts July 11th, and the 200 seat increase on Delta Airlines which starts June 8th.

that might be a good increase for the airport.

just a thought. you think all the new businesses in Columbia like amazon and all the companies growing around it. and new places downtown might increase more national travels at the airport also as people do more business travels and deliveries and stuff.

[lucjanrc]

I wonder if any airlines will start service from Columbia to Orlando after Nephron Pharm opens.

[carolinagarnet]

I believe there is already a Columbia-Orlando flight. I used to take it while I was at USC.

[lucjanrc]

Not anymore, there used to be on Delta Airlines.

[carolinagarnet]

That's not surprising considering how expensive the flight was. For a time Allegiant offered a flight to Sanford (north Orlando), but the service was cancelled due to inconsistent demand. The Delta flight was always close to full each time I took it, but then we always took small Canadian pencil jets. As interest in USC continues to increase in the Orlando area, demand for a CAE-MCO flight might increase. In the mean time, I don't know that the market is really there for any major airlines.

[growingup15]

carolinagarnet, on 17 April 2012 - 08:42 AM, said:

That's not surprising considering how expensive the flight was. For a time Allegiant offered a flight to Sanford (north Orlando), but the service was cancelled due to inconsistent demand. The Delta flight was always close to full each time I took it, but then we always took small Canadian pencil jets. As interest in USC continues to increase in the Orlando area, demand for a CAE-MCO flight might increase. In the mean time, I don't know that the market is really there for any major airlines.

Around 9am this morning i was hearing back to back to back planes landing so Columbia Metro is getting busier i can see it. also i drive through the airport 2 days ago at night and surprised to see so many people going and leaving

[lucjanrc]

The April passenger numbers are out and they are not as strong as previous months but they are still up 2.1% from 87,742 passenger in April 2011 to 89,341 passengers in April 2012. Delta is up 10% for the month of April and Cargo is up 3.5% for the month of April.