According to Madeline Shapiro's 9-June report for the Ledger-Enquirer, starting June 12 and running through September, one of three Delta Airlines CRJ-900 flights offered at Columbus Airport to and from Atlanta on Fridays and Saturdays will be replaced by a bigger jet, the Boeing 717. The larger commercial aircraft packs 110 seats and offers increased legroom and overhead bin storage while the CRJ-900 model offers only 76 seats. Airport director Amber Clark told Shapiro and the Ledger-Enquirer a larger flight two days per week may not seem “super significant,” but this trial period could have large implications on the future of air travel in the region. As Shapiro explains, about 40,000 people per month in the Columbus area travel by air, although only about 5,500 of those travelers go through the Columbus Airport. During the Boeing 717 trial period, the airport expects to see 3,500 additional annual enplanements, which is the number of passengers boarding outbound flights from Columbus. Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce president Jansen Tidmore told Shapiro that these 3,500 enplanements are expected to produce approximately $1.36 million in direct airport economic impact and $1.03 million in additional visitor spending. Clark explained that offering these trial flights on only Fridays and Saturdays was motivated by the military travel demand in the region, particularly with military graduations at Fort Benning occurring on Thursdays and Fridays. One-way tickets between Atlanta and Columbus cost around $300. But transferring through Columbus instead of driving to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport offers certain benefits, like reduced TSA wait times and easier parking access. According to Shapiro's report, success for the Columbus Airport during the trial period means filling each Boeing 717 flight with at least 85% capacity.
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