(LISTEN): Columbia Regional Airport manager Michael Parks appears on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Missouri"

Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) director Michelle Hataway describes Allegiant’s new Florida service at Columbia Regional Airport (COU) as a gamechanger for COU and for the mid-Missouri region. COU is the nation’s fastest-growing airport, according to aviation firm Mead and Hunt. Airport manager Michael Parks joined host Fred Parry in-studio Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable.” Mr. Parks is grateful for the strong interest you’ve shown in Allegiant’s new flights from Columbia to Destin-Fort Walton Beach and to Orlando Sanford. “Getting them to sign on here in Columbia … I would say it’s an absolute gamechanger for our airport and what we look like in the future," Mr. Parks tells listeners. Mr. Parks also addressed Delta Airlines, American Airlines' Charlotte flights, COU's new shuttle and numerous other topics during the interview. The new shuttle is equipped with 15 passenger seats and rear luggage storage for larger bags. COU welcomed about 242,000 passengers in 2025, a record and a 17 percent increase over 2024 numbers: