Two nonstop flights added to Columbia Metropolitan Airport’s routes
Columbia Metropolitan Airport was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on air travel across the world.
At least five nonstop flights from the airport to major cities along the east coast were halted.
But in the past week, direct flights resumed to Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., airport officials said in a news release.
American Airlines is again offering daily flights from Columbia to Philadelphia International Airport and direct routes to Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., four days a week, according to the release.
“Slowly but surely we are seeing our airline partners bring routes back online after removing them due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the sudden halt in air travel,” Columbia Metropolitan Airport Air Service Development Director Kim Jamieson said in a release. “These routes are crucial to our air service offerings for the local community and we’re excited to see them return to pre-pandemic status.”
Last month United Airlines resumed its daily, nonstop service from Columbia to Chicago, officials said.
Nonstop flights to LaGuardia Airport in New York City and Miami International Airport are still offline, according to the release.
“As we regain air service, we encourage the local community and the business community to return to air travel as soon as they feel comfortable,” Columbia Metropolitan Airport Executive Director Mike Gula said in the release. “We are hopeful that as more and more individuals get vaccinated, air travel will strengthen as a result.”
Columbia Metropolitan Airport, which had more than 1.3 million passengers in 2019, has four airline partners to provide multiple travel options and nonstop flights — American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Silver Airways, and United Airlines.
Columbia offers 36 nonstop flights to 12 major airports in 11 cities.
Cities passengers can fly to nonstop from Columbia include Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, Orlando, New York (LaGuardia), Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. (Dulles), and Washington, D.C. (Reagan).
