Air Travel Archives

Local pilots, Congressman react to crash at Reagan National Airport

January 30, 2025 8:25 PM Haley Swaino

67 people are presumed dead after an air crash between an American Airlines passenger plane and a Black Hawk military helicopter near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night.

The same model of airplane involved in that horrific incident, CRJ 700s, fly in and out of the Columbia Regional Airport. American Airlines CRJ 700 planes are used for some flights by Skywest between Columbia, Missouri and Dallas, Texas.

Columbia Regional Airport works to clear tarmac as winter storm affects flights nationwide

January 6, 2025 12:08 PM Haley Swaino

A winter storm like the one that hit Mid-Missouri Saturday through Monday can leave plows with a sizable amount of snow to clear.

Missouri Department of Revenue makes it easier to apply for Real ID

July 25, 2024 3:28 PM Olivia Hayes

The Missouri Department of Revenue is making it easier for Missourians to apply for their REAL ID as the federal Real ID enforcement deadline approaches.

AAA Offers advice for travelers this Easter weekend

March 30, 2024 5:15 AM Marina Diaz

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Drivers across Missouri are expected to hit the roads today as they head toward their Easter Sunday plans and AAA has some advice to keep drivers and fliers safe and on time. Easter lines up with the end of Spring Break this year meaning that quite a few people are expected to

Columbia Regional Airport adds additional flight to Chicago and Dallas

February 12, 2024 8:33 AM Erika McGuire, Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Regional Airport will offer an additional flight to Dallas and Chicago, the airport said in a press release Monday morning. Beginning on April 4., American Airlines will offer an additional flight to Chicago O’Hare International Airport. An additional flight to Dallas Fort Worth will begin on June 5. Each day,

Winter weather airline prep includes deicing planes

January 9, 2024 8:09 PM Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Airlines remove snow and ice from thousands of planes every winter, according to a press release from American Airlines to make sure passengers reach their destinations safely. According to the release, deicing is usually necessary when temperatures are at or below freezing along with precipitation or frost. Deicing fluid is sprayed on

TSA prepares for busiest end-of-year travel days, what you can do to be prepared at the gate

December 20, 2023 3:44 AM Gabrielle Teiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) As the holiday season is underway, and Christmas is less than a week away, the Transportation Security Administration is preparing for busy travel days ahead. TSA estimates they could screen over 2.5 million passengers a day. The busiest days for travel are expected to be Thursday Dec. 21, Friday Dec. 29, and

Columbia Regional Airport flight delayed to start busy Thanksgiving travel day

November 22, 2023 11:42 AM Jazsmin Halliburton

Columbia Regional Airport saw a flight delayed Wednesday morning as the busy Thanksgiving travel period kicked into high gear.

More travelers expected this Thanksgiving; Missouri State Highway Patrol monitors roads with snow in forecast

November 22, 2023 3:45 AM Gabrielle Teiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) As the busy Thanksgiving travel season kicks off and millions of people are expected to be traveling within the upcoming days, the Missouri State Highway Patrol will begin its counting period for the 2023 Thanksgiving weekend. The counting period will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday and will last until 11:59 p.m. Sunday

Columbia Regional Airport adds new temporary flight to Chicago

October 5, 2023 4:59 AM Gabrielle Teiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Beginning Thursday, the Columbia Regional Airport will be offering an additional, but temporary, flight to Chicago through October 27th. The flight will depart daily from COU at 11:45 a.m. and land in Chicago around 1:17 p.m. American Airlines says the new mid-morning flight is part of a temporary increase in flights. Currently,

JCFD looking to get new fire engine at Jefferson City Memorial Airport

April 28, 2023 4:50 PM Ethan Heinz

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Jefferson City Fire Department is hoping to get a new fire engine to station at the Jefferson City Memorial Airport, according to House Bill 20. The money for the new fire apparatus would come from the state budget. HB20 has $1 million written in for the hopeful purchase. The money

Conversations ongoing about bringing more airlines to Columbia as flight use increases

April 26, 2023 6:59 PM Avery Roehler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ). As of March, there was a 24% increase from the same point in 2022 in Columbia Regional Airport’s ability to fill seats on its planes, according to the airport’s 2023 passenger load factors. Typically, five flights fly out of the airport each day. “We continue talking to American (Airlines) and additional airlines.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Are you traveling for spring break?

March 27, 2023 2:23 AM ABC 17 News Team

Travel numbers continue to bounce back from their COVID-19 pandemic lows and spring break is no exception.

Deadline to obtain a REAL ID for travel delayed by two years

December 5, 2022 3:30 PM Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Department of Homeland Security has extended the deadline for travelers to have a Real ID by two years. Travelers in the U.S will be required to obtain a REAL ID by May 7, 2025. The requirement was originally scheduled to take effect May 2023. Starting on May 7, 2025, every traveler

AAA expects Missouri drivers will see lowest gas prices of the year ahead of Thanksgiving

November 23, 2022 5:54 AM Kennedy Miller

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Wednesday is one of the year’s busiest travel days ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. According to AAA, nearly 55 million Americans plan to travel for the holiday weekend while Missouri’s gas price average is the lowest since February. AAA reports the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel in Missouri

New terminal at Columbia Regional Airport has first full day of flights

October 26, 2022 9:28 PM ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Regional Airport’s newest terminal celebrated its first full day of flights Wednesday. The $23 million section officially opened last week, but the very first flight into the terminal arrived this morning. The plane was greeted with a water cannon salute after its landing. Passengers of the morning flight were also celebrated by crews as

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Have you used Columbia Regional Airport?

October 20, 2022 2:35 AM ABC 17 News Team

Local and state officials cut the ribbon on the new Columbia Regional Airport terminal.

Local and state leaders hold ceremony for new Columbia Regional Airport terminal

October 19, 2022 6:23 AM Marina Diaz

Watch the ceremony live in the player. COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) City and state leaders celebrated the new $23 million terminal at Columbia Regional Airport (COU) on Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Gov. Mike Parson and Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe spoke at the event about the potentials the new terminal brings. City and state leaders broke

Columbia Regional Airport preparing for busy holiday weekend

July 1, 2022 6:54 PM ABC 17 News Team

AAA expects there to be over 47.9 million Americans will travel this weekend with 3.6 million of those expected to be to traveling by air.

Gas prices hit record high as travel ramps up for Memorial Day weekend

May 19, 2022 11:59 AM Hannah Falcon

As mid-Missourians plan their Memorial Day trips, you may want to budget a little extra for gas this year.