Operated by the Columbus Airport Commission, the airport commenced operations in 1944. It has been served by regularly scheduled airline service since its opening, with all passenger service in the 21st century being operated by regional carriers. FAA records say the airport had 84,387 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2022, an increase from 56,520 enplanements in 2021. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a primary commercial service airport (more than 10,000 enplanements per year).[4]
Ownership
The airport is a public-use airport that is owned and operated by the Columbus Airport Commission. The Muscogee County Airport Commission was established under an amendment to the Constitution of Georgia on April 9, 1968.[5] After the merger between the governments of Muscogee County and Columbus at the start of 1971, the Muscogee County Airport Commission became the Columbus Airport Commission.[6] The airport's five commissioners are appointed to five-year terms by the council of the Columbus Consolidated Government, an elected body representing the districts of Columbus.[7] The Columbus Airport Commission is responsible for the airport's promotion and operations, but cannot collect taxes.[8]
History
Opening to 1979
Planning began before the onset of World War II to build Muscogee County Airport as a larger alternative to the existing Columbus Municipal Airport, a grass airfield which was located just to the southeast of Columbus' business district. The municipal airport had been operating commercial flights since June 19, 1929,[9] but the new airport would feature longer, paved runways with lighting. Construction continued through the war, and in November 1942 its use was offered by the county to the federal government for military operations upon completion.[10] The completed airfield was officially designated as open to use by the public on December 10, 1944, by the Civil Aeronautics Authority (CAA). A temporary structure housed airport staff at the time of designation, set to be replaced with a $60,000 terminal building following the conclusion of the war.[11]
Eastern Airlines brought the first scheduled airline service to Muscogee County Airport on August 1, 1944, connecting it directly to Atlanta and Montgomery before the airport was certified for use by the CAA.[11][12] The first scheduled flight arrived in Columbus at 3:08 pm as a stop on a route from New York to Houston in a Ryan Brougham.[13] Following approval by the Civil Aeronautics Board in April 1947, Delta Air Lines initiated services using the Douglas DC-3 to the airport on July 1, 1947, as a stop along a route from Atlanta to Fort Worth.[14][15] Southern began scheduled services to Atlanta and Jacksonville on June 25, 1949, also using the DC-3.[16] In 1968 Southern was allowed to start nonstop DC-9s from Muscogee County Airport to Dulles International Airport, three a day, all continuing to LaGuardia Airport.[17]
Following the merger of Muscogee County and the city of Columbus, the airport was renamed to Columbus Metropolitan Airport.[18] The older Columbus Municipal Airport closed in 1969 during the consolidation process of the city and county.[19][20] Southern's New York/Washington service would grow to five services a day by June 1970.[21] Eastern[22][23] and Southern discontinued services to Columbus in 1979.[24]
Columbus Metropolitan Airport would begin to see an increase in regional airline services following the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978. The first of these was Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA), which got its start operating five flights from Columbus to Atlanta on June 27, 1979, using a fleet of three de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otters. ASA would go on to operate the route as one of the inaugural routes of Delta Connection regional services in 1984.[25] Other short-lived regional services to operate out of Columbus included Northwest Airlink[26] and Eastern Metro Express.[27] A new terminal building was completed on June 2, 1991, at the cost of $12 million to replace the original terminal built in the 1940s,[28] though the old control tower was used by the FAA for several months following the opening of the new complex due to complications in lease agreements.[29] Delta's last mainline flights were in the autumn of 1995, terminating by the release of their December timetable.[30][31] The first Thunder in the Valley Air Show was hosted by the airport in April 1997.[32]
2000 to present
On January 21, 2010, airport was renamed from Columbus Metropolitan Airport to the more simplified Columbus Airport at the onset of a $3.3 million renovation project that occurred in 2010. The project included aesthetic updates to the terminal interior and the repaving of Runway 6/24.[33] On April 7–8, 2018 the airport hosted the final Thunder in the Valley Air Show. The event had raised over a million dollars for local youth charities over its 21-year run, but was finally ended due to high operational costs and a decline in sponsors.[32]
Another airport renovation project was completed in 2021 at the cost of $13.5 million. The 2021 project increased the capacity of the terminal building for airline operations, and added seating throughout the airport including an indoor aircraft viewing area. The goal of the project was to attract additional airline service to Columbus.[34] This was temporarily effective as American Eagle began daily services to Charlotte and Dallas–Fort Worth after eight years of not serving the airport;[35] however, the services only lasted from August 2021 to April 2023 with American citing a shortage in pilots and the end of payroll support grants distributed during the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason behind their withdrawal.[36] Following American Eagle's exit, Delta Connection remains as the sole commercial carrier at Columbus Airport with two to three daily flights to and from Atlanta despite Columbus being Georgia's second largest market.[37][38]
Future
In April 2024, the Columbus Airport Commission announced that the airport would be closing its longest runway, 6/24, to be entirely rebuilt for the first time since the airport opened in 1944 in March 2025. The construction will prohibit the use of the airport for military and commercial operations for 103 days, including Delta Connection flights. The commission expressed that they are certain the services on the airport's sole remaining airline route would resume following the completion of the reconstruction.[39] The anticipated total cost for the rebuild is $36.5 million, $24.4 million of the construction cost will be covered by grants awarded by the FAA.[40]
Facilities
The Columbus Airport terminal building and tower
Columbus Airport covers 680 acres (275 ha) at an elevation of 397 feet (121 m). It has two intersecting asphalt runways: 6/24 is 6,997 by 150 feet (2,133 x 46 m) and 13/31 is 3,997 by 150 feet (1,218 x 46 m).[2] Runway 6/24, the primary runway is equipped with high-intensity runway lighting, precision approach path indicators, and a full parallel taxiway with medium-intensity taxiway lighting. Runway 6 has a medium-intensity approach lighting system with runway alignment indicators and Runway 24 has runway end identifier lights. The secondary runway, Runway 13/31 has medium-intensity runway lighting, a full parallel taxiway also with medium-intensity lighting, and runway end identifier lights. Runway 30 is equipped with visual approach slope indicator. Runway 6 is equipped with ILS, NDB, or RNAV approach systems and Runway 24 has VOR/DME or RNAV systems.[41][42]
The airside portion of Columbus Airport's terminal contains three secured gates, two of which are equipped with jet bridges. The landside portion of the airport has amenities, airline and car rental check-in counters, a baggage claim conveyor, and an aircraft viewing area.[34][43]
The airport has a rotating beacon, illuminated wind cone, automated surface observing system (ASOS), and a control tower.[42] The airport has a public safety department that is responsible for fire and law enforcement services on and around the airport.[44] The fire station is situated next to the terminal building at the east end of the commercial ramp.[41]
Airlines and destinations
Delta Connection CRJs parked at all three gates of Columbus Airport
Columbus Airport has historically provided passenger, cargo, and charter flights to several destinations in the Eastern United States. As of November 2024, the only regularly scheduled services at the airport are two to three daily passenger flights to Atlanta and a daily cargo flight to Memphis.
Columbus Airport is served by Airport Thruway, an arterial road that links it directly to nearby Interstate 185 and Veterans Parkway (US 27 / SR 1).[42] The airport's parking lots are located at ground level and can hold 1,214 vehicles in lots designated for the fixed-base operator, general short-term visitors, and general long-term visitors.[48] The airport is served by several taxi and rental car companies. Route 10 of the METRA Transit System serves a bus stop along Airport Thruway at a nearby Walmart on an hourly basis.[49]
Statistics
In the year ending November 30, 2022 the airport had 37,662 aircraft operations, average 103 per day: 86% general aviation, 7% air taxi, 3% airline, and 4% military. 132 aircraft were then based at the airport: 106 single-engine, 13 multi-engine, 7 jet, 2 helicopter, 1 glider and 3 ultralight.[2] As of 2022, it is Georgia's fourth busiest airport behind Atlanta, Savannah, and Augusta. FAA records say the airport had 84,387 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2022, an increase from 56,520 enplanements in 2021[50] and 63,726 enplanements in 2010.[51]
Accidents
On July 9, 1981, at 9:56 pm, on a flight from Ozark, Alabama to Augusta, Georgia, a Cessna 411 crashed in a residential area while trying to make an emergency landing at the airport. The pilot, the sole occupant, had only 25 total flying hours and was not rated for instrument flight. There was one fatality.[52]
On August 17, 1984, at 1:13 pm after stopping to refuel on a flight from Tennessee to Florida, a Mooney M20 crashed shortly after takeoff. There were four fatalities.[53][54] The aircraft had previously sustained substantial damage in an incident at Porvenir Island, Panama.[55]
On July 19, 2009, at around 6:15 pm, a Rutan VariEze crashed shortly after takeoff. The pilot was the sole occupant and was killed.[56]
^"2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A"(PDF). National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010. Archived from the original(PDF, 2.03 MB) on September 27, 2012.
^Columbus, Georgia Code of Ordinances (art. IV, § 4, cl. 627.).
^State Highway Department of Georgia (January 1969). Official Highway Map(PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
^State Highway Department of Georgia (January 1970). Official Highway Map(PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Atlanta: State Highway Department of Georgia. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
