One star. Predatory curbside ticketing at 2:45 in the morning. First time at John Glenn Columbus International Airport and I was greeted with a $25 “violation” for doing what every normal traveler does at pickup: pulling to the curb, staying in the driver’s seat, and waiting a couple of minutes for my passenger. It was 2:45 in the morning. The curb was practically empty (maybe five cars total), traffic was not impeded, and I was never warned or told to move. Meanwhile, I watched other cars do the exact same thing without getting cited. Common sense says you give a quick “move along” at that hour—not slap a ticket on someone who’s clearly attending their vehicle and trying to pick up a passenger. If your goal is safety and flow, a warning achieves that instantly. If your goal is revenue, you do exactly what happened here. This interaction looked and felt like revenue-first enforcement rather than public safety or customer service. If this is “policy,” it is a bad one. If it is an employee choice, it needs immediate supervisory review. Either way, it leaves a terrible first impression of the airport and the city. What went wrong (in plain terms): Ticket issued with no verbal warning despite an empty curb at 2:45 in the morning. Inconsistent enforcement: other cars doing the same thing were not cited. Poor signage/visibility at the exact spot at night—nothing obvious from a driver’s eye line. Zero judgment shown for a first-time visitor, attended vehicle, and a brief wait. How to fix it (if anyone at the airport is listening): Train curbside staff to lead with a warning when traffic is light and the vehicle is attended. Ensure clear, illuminated signage at driver eye level, especially for first-time visitors at night. Apply rules consistently—not selectively. Emphasize customer service at off-peak hours; save citations for genuine obstruction and safety issues. I’ve filed an appeal and requested supervisory review. Until this is addressed, I cannot recommend using the curbside at this airport—bring patience, a camera, and be ready for gotcha-style enforcement at an hour when common sense should prevail.

The Columbus Regional Airport Authority's police department treated me with respect and decency when I was stranded recently. I will never forget the respect and kindness, and the officers--badge #355 and a partner whose badge I did not get--represented the airport with class and a concern for my wellbeing. I recommend flying in and out of Port Columbus when possible, and I sing the praises of its PD.

Their people are very friendly & pleasant and the new facility is much more modern. The creepy little shack where one once had to visit to obtain or renew SIDA credentials was somewhat off-putting. It felt secluded & claustrophobic. It smelled kind of weird too. The one guy there seemed like he was exiled to a little wooden purgatory & was being absorbed into a sort of mechanized bureaucracy or something. It seemed the sort of place you'd picture bush pilots in Alaska to have to visit for their pilot license or whatever. Nonetheless, you would find only disappointment if looking for any of the "small town charms", an expectation which one might have developed while watching TV (like Northern Exposure, or whatever Alaska based reality show Discovery Channel is pushing these days). That "ordeal" has been replaced by a large facility which is well lit, has many more rooms (which I assume are or can be used for various purposes), employee break areas, public restrooms for visitors & employees, and offers ample free parking in a dedicated lot in front of the building's entrance. The droid person seems to have the benefit of interaction with humans, and could well be unrecognizable if he still works there. Employees put up seasonal decor and have added other personal touches to their workspace. I got the sense that you would actually find a pulse if you checked, though I am not compelled to violate their space in order to do so. The nutshell assessment: You might not see anyone in any other area en route to the SIDA office (despite numerous cars parked in front), but I'm pretty sure that if/when you do, you can now presume that they are actually humans.