Work begins on multi-year Columbia airport master plan

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Changes are coming to the Columbia Metropolitan Airport.

The airport has begun work on a multi-year airport master plan project that will ultimately yield an introspective look at the airport’s current facilities, amenities and overall capacity to determine how it can better meet the needs of travelers for the next 20 years, according to a news release.

“Airport Master Plans provide a needed roadmap of sorts for future growth and development,” said President & CEO Mike Gula in the release. “From this plan, we will be able to determine a comprehensive properties list, coupled with realistic timelines to implement projects that will grow this airport over the next two decades.”

Guiding CAE through the process is engineering firm, Mead & Hunt, whose aviation planning division specializes in developing airport master plans, the release stated. Mead & Hunt has led numerous master planning projects at airports of all sizes across the United States, working collaboratively with airport owners and their local communities.

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“We couldn’t be more excited to be working with CAE to discover what opportunities are yet untapped for future growth and enhancement of the passenger experience,” said Mead & Hunt’s project manager, Stephanie Ward, in the release. “We can’t wait to see what rises to the top as we work together to uncover where CAE’s interests as well as what’s most important to the air travelers and the community intersect and how CAE will plan to grow for the future.”

As part of the full airport master plan team, Mead & Hunt partnered with local marketing, communications and strategy company, DESA, the release stated. In December 2023, DESA collected traveler data through in-person surveys for multiple days across the terminal.

Throughout the year, a number of in-terminal survey collections will occur to ensure a diverse spectrum of responses, as well as traveler demographics are reached and considered. Additionally, community and online fact finding will continue throughout the airport master plan process.