News & Media

With the official start of summer kicking off today, the Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE hereafter) is sharing useful air travel tips to ensure its passengers have an easy travel experience from start to finish for their next flight.

“In May, CAE saw roughly 101,000 passengers through the airport,” said Director of Marketing & Air Service Development, Kim Crafton. “By way of comparison, in May of 2021, we saw roughly 82,000 passengers. This increase of roughly 31% is not only a sign that air travel is back and thriving, but something locals should consider when getting ready to fly out.”

With travel restrictions loosening globally, more and more individuals are taking advantage of flying to destinations – both domestic and international – for their summer vacations. And that means increased passenger traffic at airports everywhere.

In an effort to prepare the Columbia community who will soon be taking to the skies for their next trip, CAE wants to share a few air travel tips to ensure everyone…flies with ease. 

• Pre-book Parking: By pre-booking parking, most passengers will see a savings on the daily rate on extended stays. To pre-book, simply visit www.flycae.com/airport/parking.

• Check Flight Status: By downloading the app of the carrier of choice, passengers are able to get regular and real-time notifications regarding their flight. Passengers are also encouraged to check CAE’s website for flight status as another resource. That information can be found by visiting, www.flycae.com/flight-information.

• Arrive Early: Arriving two hours early for your flight will ensure that you’re waiting at the gate, and not in the TSA security line.

• Get TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry: This five-year membership is acquired through an application process and allows you to keep shoes on, laptops in your bag, belts and jackets on and ensure an expedited security screening process. Traveling internationally regularly? Global Entry includes Pre-Check and can be obtained through a similar application process.

• Double Check Your Bags: Before arriving to the airport, fully examine all carry-on bags to ensure no illegal items are inside. These items – firearms, restricted TSA objects or materials, etc. – will certainly hold up passengers in the security line and may keep an individual from flying. (Firearms are NOT allowed in carry-on baggage and must be properly stored in checked bags. Firearms found at the TSA security check point will be confiscated and fines may be issued).

• Follow CAE on Social Media: CAE regularly shares important and useful travel notifications on social media. Following CAE’s channels keeps travelers in the loop with the latest airport and airline details. Passengers can find CAE on:
  • Instagram (@FlyCAE)
  • Facebook (Columbia Metropolitan Airport CAE)
  • Twitter (@iFlyCAE)
  • LinkedIn (Columbia Metropolitan Airport)

• Pack Your Patience: With the start of summer travel comes more passengers in the airport, long lines, delays, missed connections and some cancellations due to staffing shortages or inclement weather. CAE encourages everyone to pack some patience and know that many people are working behind the scenes to ensure as few disruptions as possible.

“CAE’s number one priority has always been its passengers,” said Executive Director, Mike Gula. “We look forward to making this summer’s travel experience as convenient and easy as possible.”

Passenger traffic at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE hereafter) is on the rise after data from the first quarter of 2022 reflects a month over month increase since the start of the 2022 calendar year. January 2022 saw a dramatic 81.50% increase over January 2021, with February 2022 following suit with an even stronger 85.95% increase over passenger traffic this same time last year.

“Passenger traffic has been consistently strong this first quarter of 2022 and we anticipate this steady increase month over month will continue as we head into the busy spring and summer months,” said Executive Director of CAE, Mike Gula. “We are seeing both personal and the long-awaited business travel return in great volumes – which is welcomed. We are not back to pre-pandemic numbers due to the air travel halt COVID-19 brought to airports around the world, but we have far surpassed early projections.”

Passenger traffic from CAE for both Q1 2022 and 2021 is:

Estimated Total Passenger Traffic with YOY/MOM Comparison
January
2022	63,495
2021	37,007
February
2022	69,231
2021	37,244
March
2022	87,824
2021	56,401

Additionally, CAE has proactively begun work on several large-scale, in-terminal and campus wide, projects that are focused squarely on enhancing the passenger’s overall experience.

• The current in-line baggage system installation began last year and is slated to wrap up this November 2022. Once complete, the new system would remove the large scanners from the main lobby, allowing the airport entrance to feel spacious and open. The update allows checked bags to be processed at the ticket counter – eliminating the hassle and additional step for passengers to have to walk their bags over to be scanned by a TSA representative.
• CAE in partnership with the South Carolina Air National Guard will be the host location for several F-16 fighter jets beginning next month. This arrangement, slated to last six months, will allow McEntire Joint Air Force Base to resurface and update its current F-16 runway. CAE’s commercial operations will not be affected during this operation.
•  80 Years of Flight. This year marks 80 years of flight that has taken place on the airport campus – most notably the historic Doolittle Raid that occurred in April 1942, 80 years ago. CAE will be rolling out images, information, and hosting events to recognize this milestone year. Stay tuned as more information on this initiative will be released soon.

“In all aspects, the Columbia Metropolitan Airport is moving forward with a focus on creating the best airport environment not only for our current passengers, but the many more we know we will see come through our doors,” said Gula. “We’re preparing now for the inevitable future growth we will see and look forward to remaining a vital and strong economic engine and resource for this entire region.”

Please note: The federal mask mandate – requiring individuals to wear a mask in and on the airport campus (passengers, individuals picking up passengers, etc.) has been extended until May 3, 2022. For more information about nonstop flights from CAE, please visit FlyCAE.com.

Today, the South Carolina Air National Guard (SCANG hereafter) announced a temporary relocation operation of F-16s from McEntire Joint National Guard Base (McEntire hereafter) to the Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE hereafter). The temporary operation, set to begin in April and last for six months, comes as McEntire will soon begin resurfacing its current F-16 runway.

“Thank you to our partner the Columbia Metropolitan Airport for their support and assistance as we move our fighter operations to the airport for the next six months,” said U.S. Air Force Colonel Quaid Quadri, 169th Fighter Wing commander. “We see this temporary arrangement as a win-win for the South Carolina Air National Guard as well as the local community.”

This temporary operation will in no way impact daily commercial flights taking off and landing at CAE. Passengers should travel confidentially knowing that operations at the airport will continue as scheduled without any interruptions.

In the coming weeks, CAE will establish an observation area that community members can utilize to safety view F-16 takeoffs and landings throughout the day. Parking will be available in the surface parking lot at no charge for the first 30 minutes or in the garage at the normal daily rate. CAE asks individuals visiting the airport to view the F-16s to use great caution. Parking on the side of the road or in unauthorized areas will not be allowed.

Air traffic noise levels may be increased during the temporary operation. Locals who live in and around the airport should be aware of this beginning in April and understand it will last for roughly six months.

“We have taken every measure to safely reduce our noise footprint and any potential disruptions,” said Colonel Quadri. “We appreciate the understanding of the neighbors of the Columbia Metropolitan Airport and the Midlands.”

This partnership is one of many between the SCANG and CAE that has occurred over the years including the use of CAE’s airfield by the Navy and the Air Force for touch-and-gos and other flight training needs.

“During the next six months we want to ensure the community that while noise will inevitably increase by the F-16 aircraft, the teams at the SCANG and CAE will be available to answer any questions and concerns,” said Executive Director of CAE, Mike Gula. “CAE looks forward to supporting our longstanding partners at the South Carolina Air National Guard during this temporary relocation operation.”

For updated information on this temporary relocation and for frequently asked questions, please visit FlyCAE.com.

About South Carolina Air National Guard/McEntire Joint National Guard Base:
The South Carolina Air National Guard comprises nearly 1,500 Airmen who serve their state and nation. The primary unit of the South Carolina Air National Guard is the 169th Fighter Wing. Its mission is to maintain wartime readiness and the ability to mobilize and deploy expeditiously to carry out tactical air missions or combat support activities in the event of a war or military emergency. The South Carolina Air National Guard operates as part of the Total Force of the U.S. military and is fully integrated with the active-duty Air Force. Additionally, members of the South Carolina Air National Guard respond to state and national emergencies as directed by the Governor. The wing flies the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a single-seat, multi-purpose fighter with the ability to fly up to twice the speed of sound. It is capable of performing air-to-air and air-to-ground tactical missions.

The Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE hereafter) in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT hereafter) will be hosting a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE hereafter) certification workshop on Thursday, March 24^th in the airport’s Carolina Room from 9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

This free event is for those interested in learning more about DBE certification, as well as learning about job and contract opportunities with the airport.

Team members from both CAE and SCDOT will be onsite to provide a comprehensive overview of the certification process and answer any questions attendees have regarding applying for and securing this certification.

To register for this event, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/265832009697

Parking for this event will be free for all registered attendees. For more information or questions about this event, please email info@flycae.com

The Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE hereafter) has been selected by the Department of Defense (DoD hereafter) as an industry partner in their nationally recognized and noteworthy program, SkillBridge. The DOD SkillBridge program pairs Servicemen and women with companies and organizations in various industries for internship opportunities and further civilian training.

The program is an opportunity for those with six months or less of active duty service remaining and have an approved separation date under honorable conditions. Currently, there are more than 250 industry partners participating in the program, including Home Depot, Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

“Opening the doors of CAE and welcoming in members of the military after they’ve served our country is a special privilege,” said CAE Executive Director, Mike Gula. “So far, two participants have successfully completed the SkillBridge program at CAE. This mutually beneficial program is one CAE is proud to support.”

CAE is the only airport in South Carolina currently participating in the SkillBridge program.

SkillBridge Spotlight from CAE:

Chris Davis was a participant of the SkillBridge program at CAE beginning in the summer of 2021. Davis started in CAE’s Operations Department as an intern, learning the day-to-day routine, logistics and inspection protocol of airport operations. After sharing with the airport he had a Masters in Human Resources, Davis did double duty, supporting both the Operations and Human Resources teams at CAE.

Toward the end of Davis’s time as an intern with the SkillBridge training program, there was coincidently a retirement of a longtime member of CAE’s Human Resources team. Davis applied for the Human Resources manager position and the rest is history.

“I was fortunate to be able to take advantage of the Department of Defense SkillBridge program prior to my military retirement,” said Chris Davis, Human Resource Manager for CAE. “This program provided me an invaluable opportunity to transition from a uniformed Senior Noncommissioned Officer overseeing six military airfields from a strategic standpoint, to wearing slacks and a collared shirt navigating my way through life in a civilian labor force. On my first day at CAE I had no idea it would turn into this full-time opportunity and I’m so grateful for this program and CAE. SkillBridge is definitely a win-win for all involved”.             

Two new SkillBridge program participants are starting their internships this week at CAE, working in the Engineering Department and on the Human Resources team.

For more information about the SkillBridge program at CAE please email info@flycae.com. 

The COVID-19 testing site currently being hosted at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE hereafter), in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC hereafter), will discontinue testing services at CAE on Friday, March 11th.

Testing services will be available throughout the day on Friday, March 11th until 6 p.m.

The closure of this testing site, one of many being closed across the state, comes as SCDHEC has decided to shift away from public testing.

“The testing site at CAE was one of the more popular locations offering free COVID-19 testing and we were grateful to SCDHEC, as well as the Rapid Reliable Testing team, for the partnership,” said CAE Executive Director, Mike Gula. “Providing this needed resource to our community and traveling public was a significant opportunity and we were happy to host the site here at the airport.”

The free testing site at CAE opened in the Cellphone Lot at CAE in October of 2021 and has been operating seven days a week from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. The testing site offered both nasal and saliva based PCR tests and, on average, returned results within 24 – 48 hours.

For information regarding current COVID-19 guidelines while traveling through CAE, please visit: www.flycae.com

Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE hereafter) is excited to announce the four local artists that have been selected to participate in the 2022 – 2023 Art in the Airport program. The selected artists, an all-female slate, represent some of the outstanding talent and creativity found throughout the region.

The four artists selected to exhibit their artwork in the airport for the upcoming season include:

Emily Ward (March 2022 – May 2022)
Marie Boyd (June 2022 – August 2022)
Cait Maloney (September 2022 – November 2022)
Laura Rohlfing (December 2022 – February 2023)

About the Artists:
Emily Ward is an artist from Columbia, S.C. and has had a passion for all things art related since kindergarten. Ward’s love for art continued in college and into graduate school where she earned a BA in Art History from the College of Charleston. Ward enjoys painting places and things that bring her joy – and the South Carolina low country has been a reoccurring subject for her many landscape paintings.

Marie Boyd is a writer, illustrator, artist, educator and scholar. She creates quilled illustrations and art from colorful pieces of paper that she collects, cuts into narrow strips and designs modern, bold, bright images that leap off the page. In addition to being an artist, Boyd is an associate professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law. She is originally from Salt Lake City, Utah, and now lives in Columbia, S.C. with her husband and two young children.

Cait Maloney is a published illustrator, award-winning graphic designer, muralists and exhibition artist. In 2008, she earned her bachelor’s degree with a focus in illustration from Syracuse University. Maloney says that her recipe for her work is, “… a mix of a little real, a little surreal, a good helping of humor and a lot of color.”

Laura Rohlfing hails from Leesville, S.C. but spends several months out of the year traveling and exploring with her wife to new places. A graduate of the Harris School of Art in the early 80s, she focused her time there studying oil painting. She now prefers graphite and loves shades of gray and the effects of shadows and light on pictures.

Throughout the year, this wildly popular program showcases the work of four artists’ from across Columbia region in the busiest part of the airport.

The Art in the Airport program not only enhances the passengers’ experience while traveling through CAE, it creates an immediate sense of place to those visiting. Once a traveler lands, these pieces of art are the first creative and cultural touchpoints they have to the region.

Would you like your artwork to be considered for this prestigious program? Below are details on how artists can submit work and guidelines associated with the program.

Submission Requirements:

To apply for CAE’s Art in the Airport program, please email the following information to submissions@flycae.com by January 28, 2022 at 5 p.m.

• Name, address, phone, email, website (if applicable)
• Artist bio
• Artist Statement
• At least five images representing the type of artwork anticipated to be shown
• *Note: Artists must reside in one of the following Midlands counties: Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda, Sumter, Lee, Clarendon, Newberry, and Aiken.

Exhibit Requirements:

The exhibition location will be in the connector of the terminal, the walkway between the security checkpoint and the departure/arrival gates. Selected exhibits must contain a minimum of twelve pieces as there are twelve wall columns in the location, six on each side of the walkway. (Multiple images/clustered pieces of work can be arranged on one column if desired/space allows).

CAE will provide labels for each piece in the exhibit to include artists’ name, contact information and the title, dimensions, type of medium and selling price of the piece. CAE will also provide signage for the exhibit to include the artist’s bio and/or statement.

Exhibitions must be physically suited to the space, allowing for uninterrupted traffic flow. If selected, artists agree to suitably frame, wire and install their artwork at their own expense. Artists must be willing to sign CAE’s Artwork Loan and Hold Harmless Agreement.

Artists are welcome to preview the exhibit location by contacting Kim Jamieson Crafton, Director of Marketing and Air Service Development, a K.Crafton@flycae.com as a staff escort is required to access the location.

Insurance:

Art displayed at CAE is insured by the Columbia Metropolitan Airport while on site; however, the transportation to and from the airport is not covered. Prior to installation, the artist will provide CAE with a description of the exhibit pieces to include the title and value of each piece.

Selection Process:

Submissions will be reviewed by CAE’s selection committee. Artists selected for the rotating art exhibit will be notified February 7^th with a public announcement on February 8^th.

Things to Know:

CAE does not charge artists to exhibit their work, but will require a 5% commission on pieces sold. This commission will be reinvested into the CAE Art in the Airport program – enhancing display opportunities and required signage. Any and all art transactions must be conducted between CAE, the artist and the purchaser.

Beginning Friday, October 1^st, 2021, Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE hereafter) will be implementing a new pricing structure for all on-site parking options– including the surface lot, the garage, Fast Lane and the Premier parking lot. (Valet parking is offline due to COVID-19 staffing challenges, but has plans to return at a later date). These needed daily maximum changes will support the ongoing projects taking place throughout the terminal and the garage – ultimately enhancing the traveler’s overall experience.

“Parking rates, or daily maximums, at CAE have not changed since 2004,” said Mike Gula, Executive Director of CAE. “While we try to avoid rate increases that impact the traveler, we want the community to know that we’re reinvesting much of this revenue back into making this airport as effective and efficient as possible.” 

As of October 1^st, the new parking daily maximums at CAE will be:

Surface Parking

• First ½ hour – FREE (This is an increase in grace time for those picking up or dropping off passengers)
• Each additional ½ hour – $1.00
• Daily Rate – $10.00

Garage Parking

• Each ½ hour – $2.00
• Daily Rate – $14.00

Fast Lane (Accessed with issued pass)

• $10.00 – Surface parking
• $14.00 – Garage parking

*Customers are able to utilize either lot and still take advantage of a touchless exit. 

Premier Parking (Accessed with issued pass)

• The Premier parking lot is a parking option designed for the frequent flyer. The limited-access lot offers flat-rate parking right outside the airport terminal. This application based option is $1,000 per year. 

Handicap Parking

• 1^st day free (Subsequent days will be charged at the regular rate depending on lot location)

CAE’s new pricing structure for the garage parking remains the most cost effective parking option among other statewide airports.

CAE Updates and Enhancements

Some of the enhancements CAE has already implemented that travelers have found helpful include the parking guidance system in the covered garage and the online pre-book parking capabilities.

The parking guidance system was installed in the summer of 2020 and allows for travelers to find open parking spots quickly with the assistance of red and green LED lights above each spot indicating which are taken, and which are available.

Launched in late 2020, CAE patrons can now pre-book and save on the spot. CAE’s online parking system allows travelers the option to pre-book parking in either the surface or covered garage lots and save on regular parking rates for extended stays.

Finally, also in 2020, CAE resurfaced the surface parking lot, updated signage and increased lighting throughout the parking lot.

For more information about the updated parking rates and online parking offerings at CAE, please visit: https://flycae.com/airport/parking/.