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Mar 26, 2025

Parked in a loading zone at CAE? Make it quick or get a ticket. | wltx.com

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) has rolled out a new camera-based ticketing system that issues fines to drivers who spend more than five minutes picking up or dropping off passengers in front of the terminal.

The airport says the move is aimed at enhancing safety and complying with federal regulations. But some frequent passengers and visitors of the airport, like Columbia resident Holly Condon, say they were caught off guard when receiving their first fine.

“I’m holding what appears to be a parking violation,” said Condon, holding up a $44 ticket issued by CAE, complete with photos showing her husband helping her with her bags and a time stamp indicating their vehicle had been parked for over 6 minutes, but never left unattended. “My husband drops me off at the airport, and on this day, I guess, we pulled in, we took more than five minutes — six minutes, to be exact.”

Gregg Hornsby, the airport's interim president, explained that the cameras were installed last November and activated on January 21. He added that they were chosen because they provide photographic evidence of violations.

“We chose the bollards that do issue the photographic evidence of people being there,” Hornsby said.

Under the new system, if a car stays parked at the curb for more than five minutes, a ticket is automatically issued to the vehicle’s owner. The fine includes a $30 penalty, plus a $14 transaction fee.

“Our overarching goal is to maintain the safety and security and actually efficiency of the loading and unloading operations,” Hornsby said.

However, as a frequent traveler, Condon said she was unaware of the new rule and felt the lack of notification was a major oversight.

“Had I known, I would have been much more conscious over the time that I spent in the car, gathering my computer, my wallet, and other things, putting them in my backpack,” Condon said.

Condon also raised concerns about the visibility of the signs indicating the new rules. She returned to the airport after receiving the citation and found that the signs were located at knee level, making them difficult to see, especially if another car was parked in front.

“I actually went back to the airport yesterday after I got the citation in the mail, and all I could find were signs that were knee level,” Condon said. “So if a car was parked in front of us, which appears in one of the photos, there was no way that we would have had any visibility to the fact that they had these cameras activated.”

Hornsby acknowledged the airport’s failure to properly notify passengers about the new fines ahead of implementing them. He said that while the oversight was a mistake, the changes were necessary to prepare for an expected surge in traffic due to new airline services.

“We have service with both Allegiant starting in May and Spirit starting on June 4th. That’s going to be a considerable increase in airline and passenger traffic,” Hornsby noted.

The airport encourages drivers to use alternative areas, such as the nearby cell phone lot or the parking garage, where they can wait for free for up to 20 minutes.

The cameras do not issue tickets for violations in handicapped zones.

For more information, passengers are advised to review the new guidelines posted on the airports website.

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