Columbia Metropolitan Airport

[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]

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.

[krazeeboi]

The overall passenger count at CAE — both boardings and deplanements — totaled 320,979 for the first four months of the year compared with 299,949 for a similar period in 2011. For April, the number of passengers boarding planes at Columbia climbed 2% to 44,240 compared with 43,336 for the same month in 2011. Also, Columbia is the only S.C. airport that has seen an increase in the number of daily passenger seats, according to statistics compiled by OAG, a London-based database that tracks flight details of more than 1,000 airlines and 4,000 airports.

Some $7.4 million worth of construction projects are planned at CAE. The largest project — $3.5 million — will involve full construction and widening of the taxiway; another $1.6 million will be spent on new signage and upgrading to energy-efficient LED lights for the taxiway. Also on the list is about $500,000 for safety area improvement on runway 5, $700,000 for a new fire truck to replace old equipment, $600,000 for improvements to the airport’s security fence, and $500,000 for repair and maintenance to ramp for the UPS regional hub.

[krazeeboi]

The amount of cargo shipped out of CAE rose in July by 4.4% to 2.5 million pounds. Airport officials think the increase in freight business is largely due to Amazon's fulfillment center. The number of passengers boarding planes at Columbia slipped 2.6% to 41,347 compared with 42,441 for the same month in 2011. Overall, passenger boardings are up 2.94% for the first seven months at 286,720 compared with 278,541 for a similar period in 2011. Total passenger traffic was 84,604 for the month, down 2.4% from figures posted in July 2011. For the calendar year, the number of passengers is up 2.7% at 583,318.

http://www.columbiab...olumbia-airport

[CorgiMatt]

It looks like a lot of those business travelers and government officials in the state's "GDP capital"/capital have been driving to the beach for summer vacation instead of flying to New York and Washington, as Amazon cranks up. Passenger traffic should pick back up.

[lucjanrc]

The August numbers are out and do not fail to disappoint.

DELTA: Up 13.03% for month

AMERICAN EAGLE: Up 8% for month

UPS: Up 12% for month

FEDEX: Up 32.32% for month

Total Commercial: Up 7% for month

Total Cargo: Up 15.35% for month

[CorgiMatt]

The August numbers are out and do not fail to disappoint.

DELTA: Up 13.03% for month

AMERICAN EAGLE: Up 8% for month

UPS: Up 12% for month

FEDEX: Up 32.32% for month

Total Commercial: Up 7% for month

Total Cargo: Up 15.35% for month

Did you mean to say the numbers don't fail to disappoint? What's disappointing about the numbers you posted?

[lucjanrc]

Nothing?... I was just saying that because the last three months were bad in terms of passenger numbers.

[krazeeboi]

Usually when someone says that something/someone "doesn't fail to disappoint," it's something negative in nature because what happened was indeed disappointing. In this case, the numbers do not disappoint (no "fail" needed).

[krazeeboi]

CAE appears on the verge of reversing a seven-year losing streak in the number of passengers who pass through its gates. Through September, enplanements reached 375,039, up 3.1% over 363,674 recorded for the first three quarters of 2011. Meanwhile, total passenger traffic for the nine months rose to 756,611, an increase of 1.8% when compared with 2011 figures.

The airport reached its high-water mark in 2005 when 732,625 passengers boarded flights at Columbia. Total passenger traffic for the year reached 1.46 million. It also was the year when low-fare carrier Independence Air was still serving Columbia. Independence Air went out of business in January 2006.

Last year, the airport missed reversing the decline by 0.03%. The decrease is the smallest year-to-year comparison of passenger statistics since 2005, according to the airport. Between 2005 and 2006, the number of boardings dropped 12.25%.

[growingup15]

CAE appears on the verge of reversing a seven-year losing streak in the number of passengers who pass through its gates. Through September, enplanements reached 375,039, up 3.1% over 363,674 recorded for the first three quarters of 2011. Meanwhile, total passenger traffic for the nine months rose to 756,611, an increase of 1.8% when compared with 2011 figures.

The airport reached its high-water mark in 2005 when 732,625 passengers boarded flights at Columbia. Total passenger traffic for the year reached 1.46 million. It also was the year when low-fare carrier Independence Air was still serving Columbia. Independence Air went out of business in January 2006.

Last year, the airport missed reversing the decline by 0.03%. The decrease is the smallest year-to-year comparison of passenger statistics since 2005, according to the airport. Between 2005 and 2006, the number of boardings dropped 12.25%.

question? how many passengers does columbia has to achieve to become an Internationa, Airport?

[SCxpBrussel]

question? how many passengers does columbia has to achieve to become an Internationa, Airport?

Being an "international" airport has nothing to do with passenger numbers. In time, CAE will grow to be a national airport with flights to major hubs and focus cities across the United States. If CAE does become "international," flights to Canada or Caribbean islands would likely be the extent of it. I can't imagine long-haul intercontinental flights out of Columbia, ever.

[growingup15]

Being an "international" airport has nothing to do with passenger numbers. In time, CAE will grow to be a national airport with flights to major hubs and focus cities across the United States. If CAE does become "international," flights to Canada or Caribbean islands would likely be the extent of it. I can't imagine long-haul intercontinental flights out of Columbia, ever.

you mean yet. give it time i think columbia will get its first international flight soon and your right i think canada and carribeans would be first

[krazeeboi]

Hurricane Sandy impacted air travel in October, which helps explain the 2.07% decrease in passenger traffic this month compared with October 2011 at CAE. However, cargo traffic increased 9.73% and for the year, passenger traffic is up 2.69% through October compared with a similar period in 2011. The airport recorded 419,476 enplanements through the first nine months compared with 408,502 for the same stretch in 2011.

[SouthernBorn]

This maybe a little late but seeing no one posted, this traffic was up in November for CAE. Possibly can end the losing streak for our hopefully now growing airport.

[krazeeboi]

^Thanks for the update!