93.9 The Eagle – The News and Talk of Columbia, MO
Columbia Regional Airport (COU) will soon have seven outbound flights each day, up from the current five daily outbound flights. COU manager Michael Parks tells 939 the Eagle that American Airlines will begin offering an additional flight to Chicago O’Hare on April 4, along with an additional flight to Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) on June 5.
“I mean the additional flights definitely help people with more options either to their final destination whether it’s Chicago or Dallas, or just their connections to wherever their final destination might be,” Mr. Parks says.
The two additional flights will mean that you’ll soon have the option of four daily flights to Dallas along with three daily flights to Chicago.
“If you flew out recently you’ve noticed that all of the aircraft have been full. Even though they’re larger aircraft, they’ve all been full. So we’re extremely appreciative to American (Airlines) to, with all the pilot shortage and everything that’s going on, that that looked at that and knew that there was a need,” says Parks.
Columbia Regional Airport opened its $23-million new terminal in October 2022. Missouri Governor Mike Parson has predicted that the new terminal will help make Columbia a top medical destination.
How about making more destinations than 2? By adding destinations as Tampa and Denver it would relieve crowded flights by making for direct instead of terrible connecting flights which result in higher cost and longer flight times. But best solution would be to get a competitor airline in here. Makes me wonder who’s getting paid off to keep just American as sole provider