Columbia Regional Airport will be closed until next Tuesday, according to interim city manager John Glascock.
The closure comes after both American and United airlines suspended their flights due to concerns of runway safety.
The airport’s main runway has a crown, which is a slight dip that the Federal Aviation Administration requires to help with drainage. Because of the crown, the intersection of the airport’s two runways creates a bump during takeoffs and landings.
This bump led to some safety concerns from pilots.
Steven Sapp, Columbia’s community relations director, said that the airport is working to fix the issue quickly, and will start construction at 10 am Tuesday. City and airport officials have met with the airlines to address concerns and get the airport back on track.
“We are working very hard to mitigate this so we can get service back to Columbia regional as quickly as possible,” Sapp said. “We will be very transparent throughout this process to keep and regain the trust of our customers.”
Sapp also said it was important to reopen the airport as quickly as possible since Columbia Regional is an emergency landing site between St. Louis and Kansas City.
Glascock said that starting Tuesday, crews will flatten out the crown with asphalt so the bump is minimized. In the meantime, commercial flights and general aviation are suspended.
In his press conference, he said there would be some financial impacts from the airport’s closure, but did not know specifics.
Glascock also noted that all of the airport’s construction is up to FAA standards.