Memphis flights to begin in August

COLUMBIA — Mesaba Airlines’ flights between Columbia and Memphis will begin Aug. 19, said company spokeswoman Kristen Bauer.

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Tuesday approved a bid from Mesaba, a subsidiary of Northwest Airlines, to provide essential air service at Columbia Regional Airport for at least two years, a period that will begin on the same day Mesaba makes its first flight there. It will receive an annual federal subsidy of nearly $2.2 million per year.

Mesaba will offer three daily round-trip flights between Columbia and Memphis, with one-way fares costing about $95.

Tickets to and from Memphis International Airport will be available for purchase beginning May 24.