1 week Ago
The Federal Aviation Administration has once again installed a temporary control tower to handle Masters Week air traffic at Aiken Regional Airport . Three FAA employees are working from the tower, Airport Manager Chis McCauley said April 9. Based on the amount of reservations, air traffic has considerably increased this year, McCauley added.
Aiken Aviation, the airport's fixed-base operator, expects around 700 flights in the two week period before golf's first major, McCauley added. A fixed-base operator performs services like fuel, maintenance and the storage of planes at an airport. The city recently expanded its apron which allows more jets to park and that's contributed to the increase, McCauley said.
Masters Week is the busiest week at the airport, McCauley said in 2024. Traffic far exceeds 10 times the average week, he added. Aiken's Tourism office has installed a table at the airport to market itself to the new arrivals.
The staff members working the desk provide information about local events . An estimated 90,000 people visit Augusta National Golf Club for the Masters and patrons fill many of the city's hotels and restaurants . "We make sure that all our hotels.
.. have everything that they might need to answer questions and to give stuff out to clients that are here for the Masters," Tourism Manager Eric Gordon said.
"The hotels take all this very seriously because they know it's good business also.".
