Columbia Metropolitan Airport now offering free face masks for travelers

Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) is now offering free masks for travelers courtesy of The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). DOT recently announced their distribution of cloth facial coverings to the aviation, transit, and rail transportation sectors for passenger use.

“We appreciate this needed resource from DOT/Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),” said CAE Executive Director, Mike Gula. “We are working every day to ensure the safety of our travelers and having free masks available for passengers aids in our commitment to the well-being of everyone traveling through CAE.”

CAE received over 55,000 facial coverings from DOT. The masks are available at no cost to travelers and are available, at the information desk in the main lobby and in the line at the TSA Security checkpoint.

American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines serve CAE and each airline is requiring their passengers to wear a mask or face covering onboard their flights. Airlines have said that any passenger without a mask or face covering will be provided one at no charge.

Now with CAE’s supply of face masks as well as the airlines, travelers will have plenty of options to obtain a face mask should they not have one for their trip.

CAE continues to monitor the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) for guidance, updates and information that pertain to COVID-19.

Internally, the CAE team continues to work with airline and concessionaire partners to review and implement measures to ensure the airport’s cleanliness and safety for our travelers and employees.

Terminal Preparedness:

• Additional hand sanitizer stations have been placed throughout the terminal and at all departure gates,
• Restrooms are being cleaned every one to two hours, but as traffic increases, cleanings will increase to hourly,
• Increased sanitizing is being done in the public seating areas and in the high touch areas such as handrails, escalators, and elevator buttons,
• The food concessionaire is serving a limited menu and practicing social distancing for diners,
• Plexiglas shields have been installed at airline counters, retail shops and at the restaurant. Employees are cleaning and sanitizing credit card machines after every use.

TSA/Security Checkpoint Preparedness:

• A Plexiglas shield has been installed at the check-in desk at TSA security checkpoint;
• Markers, to identify proper spacing, have been placed on the floor at TSA security checkpoint and at the retail store locations.

For continued COVID-19/Coronavirus updates, please visit our website at www.flycae.com and our social media channels.

Travelers are also reminded to contact their specific airline for updated travel information.

About the Columbia Metropolitan Airport

Now providing nonstop service to nine major airports in eight cities including Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, New York City (LGA), Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. (Dulles and Reagan National). Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) continues to be a major economic driver for the Midlands region. Welcoming over 1.3 million passengers in 2019, CAE is served by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines and is a regional cargo hub for UPS and is also served by FedEx. For more information, please visit www.flycae.com.