More than 5,000 passengers flew out of Golden Triangle Regional Airport in October, setting a new record for the Columbus airport.
The number exceeded the October 2018 total by 25 percent, according to a GTRA press release issued last week. The flights were more than 90 percent full.
GTRA Executive Director Mike Hainsey credited the new record to Delta Air Lines’ addition of a fourth flight out of GTRA in June, as well as a more aggressive marketing strategy to reach customers outside the Golden Triangle.
“We have expanded our marketing to areas such as Tupelo and Oxford, and as far away as Tuscaloosa, Alabama,” Hainsey said in the release. “It is working. We are constantly getting comments about the convenience and ease of travel from people who are using the airport for the first time.”
Last year, GTRA set a record for passengers for the second straight year, with 48,717 passengers boarding planes in 2018, according to previous reporting by The Dispatch. At the time, Hainsey credited the Golden Triangle’s business climate, a sentiment he echoed in last week’s announcement.
“Our objective is to ensure access to and from the Golden Triangle and West Alabama for travelers throughout the world,” he said. “With major industries and two large universities, we are in a perfect position to provide a safe, convenient travel experience.”
Currently, GTRA has four roundtrip flights to and from Atlanta daily through Delta Air Lines.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.