Columbia, MO closed for urgent runway repairs until April 16, 2019, after regional carriers serving the airport raised safety concerns and suspended operations to the city.
According to the airport NOTAM, runway 13/31 will be closed through April 16, 2019, 1200L (1700Z). The longer runway 02/20 has been closed for extension works since April 1 and is due to reopen in mid-June.
The airport said in a Facebook post that SkyWest Airlines (OO, Salt Lake City), Mesa Airlines (YV, Phoenix Sky Harbor), and Envoy Air (MQ, Dallas/Fort Worth) informed it on April 6 that they will suspend services to Columbia due to safety worries. The regional carriers were concerned about the uneven surface on the intersection between the newly renovated runway 13/31 and the primary runway 02/20, which is now closed for works. In addition, some carriers raised concerns that the shorter runway will not allow for safe operations in wet conditions.
The airport initially said that all works were planned together with the carriers but later admitted that the surface at the intersections needs to be smoothed. The airport manager also underlined that the runway was FAA compliant at all times.
According to the ch-aviation capacity module, SkyWest serves Columbia daily from Chicago O'Hare and Denver International on behalf of United Airlines using CRJ200 equipment. Mesa Airlines flies to the city 3x daily from Dallas/Fort Worth on behalf of American Airlines using CRJ900 aircraft, while Envoy Air serves Columbia 2x daily from Chicago O'Hare also on behalf of American Airlines with CRJ700 and E145 regional jets. The airport also sees 2x daily services by Air Wisconsin (ZW, Appleton Outgamie County Regional) from Chicago O'Hare operated on behalf of United with CRJ-200 aircraft.
