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I think the Augusta Regional Airport has hit a lull in airline service. American Eagle pulled out of the airport a few months ago and the new Washington service is taking off half full.
I think we should all take a deep breath and take a report from a so-called "independent nonpartisan" think tank deep inside the DC beltway with a BIG grain of salt.
Neither airport would "close" - there's a ton of business besides the airlines - yes, even in Florence. You think Blue Cross, SCANA, and McLeod Hospital execs are going to stop flying locally? No - they will use corporate jets (chartered if not their own). I think control tower staff will be the last thing they even think about touching - it's a safety critical mission.
Columbia will NOT lose air service - in fact, they've upgraded a couple of Delta flights from regional jets to mainline (MD-80/DC-9). With Delta quickly cutting 50-seat regional jets (especially with their shutdown of their Cincinnati-based Comair regional subsidiary), they will replace them with larger jets (from 70-100 seat Embraer jets to Boeing 717s leased from Southwest (which were acquired from AirTran)) where viable. Columbia may lack the business and tourism punch of Greenville, Charleston, and Myrtle Beach, but we have enough decent steady demand to be a reasonably healthy airport.
Florence is in a more precarious situation but that's more due to airline economics than tower closure threats. They're at a big risk since they are solely dependent on a few short hops to Charlotte on US Airways Express per day.
If they close the tower..couldnt the airport remain open.. but not with commercial service? I can see them downgrading FLO to a General Aviation Airport.. and the corporate jets still fly in and out since all they would need would be that "automatic light switch" that can be triggered from an approaching plane at night... Hartsville Jetport I believe has something similar for all the Sonoco execs flying in and out. Seriously...it would be a HUGE blow to Florence to go from a Regional Airport to General Aviation..thats like a swift kick in the nuts to the ego of a City. I guess they better push hard for highspeed rail there and maybe Megabus.....
Last edited by Woodlands; 08-03-2012 at 03:17 PM..
Lets Bring Back Air South or atleast Independence Air
Anyone remember this airline that used Columbia as its hub??? I think we have just about finished paying for this... Seriously.. I have said this before.. I miss Independence Air and the washed up actors and comedians that used to give the audible safety instructions with flair.. and of course the $29 Fare Sales to Dulles....
Location: Augusta, GA ''The fastest rising city in the southeast''
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucjanrc
I think the Augusta Regional Airport has hit a lull in airline service. American Eagle pulled out of the airport a few months ago and the new Washington service is taking off half full.
Augusta Regional is experiencing a 90% growth rate in the last five years... American Eagle pulled out because of bankruptcy(they ended the flights to Fayetteville, NC too)........ They pulled out in January one month after the airport had it's second consecutive passenger record...
The flights to DC I've seen were more than half full, and Delta brought mainline service back to Augusta in May of 2011.... I'm positive Augusta will set another passenger record this year again....
The latest stats show the airport is still growing, and doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon...
But eventually this intense expansion has to hit a lull. A few years back when the airport completed its new terminal many people said the Augusta airport would be as big as the Columbia airport in terms of destinations and passenger numbers, I think that now is the closest the two airports will ever get to eachother in that sence because Columbia hit its low in 2011 and the Augusta airport hit its high this and last year.
Location: Augusta, GA ''The fastest rising city in the southeast''
7,510 posts, read 15,143,695 times
Reputation: 955
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucjanrc
But eventually this intense expansion has to hit a lull. A few years back when the airport completed its new terminal many people said the Augusta airport would be as big as the Columbia airport in terms of destinations and passenger numbers, I think that now is the closest the two airports will ever get to eachother in that sence because Columbia hit its low in 2011 and the Augusta airport hit its high this and last year.
But when?? Over $30 million in terms of new construction since January 2012. The airport purchased 52 acres nearby, and will build the $7 million General Perry Smith Pkwy to help create the Augusta Regional Industrial Park... Construction | Augusta Regional Airport
The extension of I-520/Palmetto Pkwy into South Carolina just opened in December of 2009.... I'm sure their are people in Aiken County who still fly out of Columbia sometimes... Who's to say they want start to use Augusta more frequently?? Remember were still trying to keep people from going to Atlanta too...
The airport set a record in 2010, 2011, and will again in 2012...
But eventually this intense expansion has to hit a lull. A few years back when the airport completed its new terminal many people said the Augusta airport would be as big as the Columbia airport in terms of destinations and passenger numbers, I think that now is the closest the two airports will ever get to eachother in that sence because Columbia hit its low in 2011 and the Augusta airport hit its high this and last year.
Yes, plus Columbia is a much bigger city and growing more rapidly than Augusta. Columbia is hurt by the proximity of Charlotte, especially since Northeast Columbia is heavily populated and barely an hour from Charlotte/Douglas.
Location: Augusta, GA ''The fastest rising city in the southeast''
7,510 posts, read 15,143,695 times
Reputation: 955
I don't know if you guys keep out with things in Augusta, but will see who's growing more rapidly when 2015 get here... We have plenty of momentum including GHSU/ASU combining to form a new research university... One of the best parts is the developing of the 17 acre GGHF site along the Riverwalk downtown(Cal Ripken and Jim Jacoby want in)...
I think 2 hrs to Atlanta is much worse than 1 hr to Charlotte....
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Hartsville Jetport I believe has something similar for all the Sonoco execs flying in and out. Seriously...it would be a HUGE blow to Florence to go from a Regional Airport to General Aviation..thats like a swift kick in the nuts to the ego of a City. I guess they better push hard for highspeed rail there and maybe Megabus.....
Lets Bring Back Air South or atleast Independence Air
Seriously.. I have said this before.. I miss Independence Air and the washed up actors and comedians that used to give the audible safety instructions with flair.. and of course the $29 Fare Sales to Dulles....
