September 29, 2014 - October 5, 2014
Renewed airport pact is part of historic effort - Daily Pilot Commentary
By Leslie Daigle - Newport Beach City Council member
An historic day to ensure that John Wayne Airport remains the most noise-restricted airport in the nation passed this week.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors approved the draft environmental impact report, selected the proposed project and authorized the signing of documents. Three parties — the county, Airport Working Group and Stop Polluting Our Newport (SPON) — will sign stipulations.
The city's preferred project consists of the following:
• The FAA found the Amended Agreement consistent with the Airport Noise and Capacity Act (ANCA).
• Protection and extension of the noise-based curfew through 2035 — no commercial departures before 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday or before 8 a.m. Sundays, and no arrivals on any day after 11 p.m.
• Maintenance of the million annual passenger cap (the so-called MAP CAP) of 10.8 MAP through 2020, with an additional 1.0 MAP allowed in 2021-25. During 2026-30, an additional 0.7 MAP may be allowed if JWA's use shows at least 11.21 MAP in any calendar year during 2021-2025. If the 11.21 MAP trigger is not reached, then only an additional 0.4 MAP would be authorized between 2026 and 2030.
• Maintenance of the cap on average daily departures of the Class A (loudest) commercial air carriers of 85 passenger flights, plus four cargo flights per day through 2020, with an additional 10 Class A passenger average daily departures allowed per year (for a total of 95 annually) starting in 2021.
Newport Beach is of the belief that this alternative best protects the city's residents, recognizes the policy decisions that the Board of Supervisors must make, as it balances the competing interests of the residents who surround the airport and the airline industry, and takes into account the requirements of the federal Airport and Noise Capacity Act, as well as the operational restrictions at JWA.
It was a lengthy negotiation process and the city appreciates the leadership of Supervisor John Moorlach and airport management to consider and integrate the concerns of multiple parties.
At the City Council meeting of Oct. 14, the City Council will consider the approval of the Stipulation Agreement.
JWA manager projects 9.94 MAP in 2015
This week, the Airport Manager makes his annual recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for seat allocations amongst airlines at John Wayne Airport. One week after supporting a continuation of the 10.8 Million Annual Passenger (MAP) cap on John Wayne Airport utilization until 2021, the manager is projecting 9.94 MAP to use the airport next year.
This leaves little room for growth over the next six years.
OC Supervisors unanimously approve amendment to the JWA settlement agreement
On September 30, the supervisors voted 5-0 to certify EIR 617 and to adopt the settlement agreement extension negotiated with Newport Beach.
Whereas the decision to not build an airport at the former Marine Corp Air Station, El Toro was debated publicly for years and the plans went through numerous changes to accomodate divergent interests, the John Wayne project was devised in private and received minor attention. While the agreement was characterized by some as allowing airport expansion, there will be no increase in the passenger or flight caps until 2021.
Supervisor Todd Spitzer said, "The most important thing this agreement extension does is strike a balance between protecting residents and growing the economic benefits of the airport." However, little voice was given to the economic benefits, the FAA's projection of aviation demand, the request of air carriers at JWA to provide more service or the sidelined analysis of the Orange County Grand Jury that said the airport "can do more".
Inland Empire seeks to regain control of Ontario airport from L.A. - LA Times
Accusing Los Angeles of breaking agreements to foster a network of regional air centers and build up L.A./Ontario International, Inland Empire officials went to court last week to regain control of the struggling airport..
In a motion filed Friday, the city of Ontario asked a Riverside County Superior Court judge to order Los Angeles to relinquish the airport — the latest development in a year-old lawsuit and long-running political battle.
Besides legal arguments, the city's court papers reference internal communications and other documents to portray Los Angeles leaders as insulting and rudely dismissive of Ontario's desire to protect the airport from decline as resources were directed to improve Los Angeles International.
Citing records that include emails, deposition testimony and meeting transcripts, the motion states that the chief operating officer for Los Angeles World Airports once referred to the Inland Empire as the "inbred Inland Empire," while Executive Director Gina Marie Lindsey characterized the effort to share air traffic with other airports as "a silly waste of time" and "a politically driven mantra to appease LAX neighbors."
Regionalizing commercial air traffic has long been a goal of noise- and traffic-conscious residents surrounding LAX. Many have fought its physical expansion for years and gotten Los Angeles officials to agree to spread the growth in passengers to other airports like Ontario and Palmdale, which has since closed.
But in court papers, Ontario's attorneys say that LAWA — L.A.'s airport agency — has failed to comply with a 1967 agreement to both operate Ontario International and do its best to attract service to the airport, where passenger volumes plunged from 7.2 million in 2007 to about 4 million last year.
"As a result of that neglect and mismanagement, Ontario is on the brink of ruin," Inland Empire officials assert in Friday's court filing. "Even so, Los Angeles insists on continuing to operate Ontario in perpetuity."
Court papers state that airport officials stopped trying to attract airlines to Ontario because "they did not have anything to sell" and gutted the airport's advertising and marketing budget while approving millions of dollars to promote LAX.
Today, Ontario has lost more than 40% of its passengers while LAX has recovered from the recession and is headed for a record 70 million passengers this year.
September 22, 2014 - September 28, 2014
JWA traffic decreased in August
Airline passenger traffic at John Wayne Airport decreased in August 2014 as compared to August 2013. In August 2014, the Airport served 834,765 passengers, a decrease of 1.9% when compared to the August 2013 passenger traffic count of 850,988.
Volume was ahead of 2013 by 0.9% year to date.
Commercial aircraft operations decreased 6.4%, while commuter aircraft operations increased 81.4% when compared to August 2013 levels.
County prepares to extend limits on JWA utilization
On September 30, the Board of Supervisors will be asked to extend the limits on John Wayne Airport's utilization. The proposed project allows for future minor relaxation of the current restrictions on the number of flights and passengers, but with no changes until six years from now on January 1, 2021.
The proposed restrictions were negotiated in secret between county officials and representatives of Newport Beach and have been hailed in that city as a "tremendous victory." See story below.
The proposed project has been rubber stamped by both the OC Planning Commission and the Airport Commission.
The agreement sets limits that are lower than those requested by the airlines serving Orange County and those suggested by the FAA based on projections of future air travel demand. Click here for comments made by Southwest Airlines, JWA largest provider of service, and the county's response as included in the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the project.
Click for the Airport Manager's report to the Board of Supervisors, outlining the background for the proposed extension of the 1985 Settlement Agreement.
September 15 - September 21, 2014
John Wayne expansion plans get commission go-ahead - OC Register
The Orange County Airport Commission voted 3-0 Wednesday in support of a proposed John Wayne expansion project which was essentially a compromise between the airport and the surrounding community.
Commissioners had a chance to review the environmental impact report, which addressed 10 categories of impacts as a result of the project, including noise, traffic and air pollution.
Airport Director Alan Murphy explained to commissioners and the public that the proposed project will not affect the early-morning and late-night noise curfews established in 1971. The noise curfews would remain in effect until 2035, he said.
Newport Beach Mayor Rush Hill said this agreement is “a tremendous victory for residents.”
Website Editor: It is a "tremendous victory" for the nearby residents but we have not heard any comparable "victory" statement from the flying public or airlines that utilize John Wayne Airport. The airlines requested an agreement that allows higher levels of service.
“The airport issue has been the largest threat to our quality of life,” he said. “What we’ve accomplished here is two-fold — no change in noise curfews until 2035 and no change in anything for the next five years.”
The settlement agreement is the second extension of the original 1985 airport agreement, which expires Dec. 31, 2015.
The Airport Commission’s recommendation will go before the Orange County Board of Supervisors for a vote Sept. 30.
Bob Hope Airport sees slight bump in passengers - Burbank Leader
After a two-month dip in passengers at Bob Hope Airport, there was a 1.2% increase in July compared to the same month last year, despite a 4.7% drop in available seats, according to the latest passenger report released Monday by the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority.
Though passenger traffic was up for the month, the airlines had 23,000 fewer seats available during July compared to the same month last year. The decline is consistent with a general trend in recent years, as airlines tighten their schedules and shift to smaller, more fuel-efficient aircraft that typically have fewer seats.
July's numbers also reflect the impact of federally mandated safety work that has closed two of four runways at San Francisco International Airport since May, leading carriers to reduce the number of flights on the Burbank-to-San Francisco route.
Other airports in the region also reported increases in passenger tallies for July, except for Long Beach Airport, which has had slumping numbers each month this year. It saw a 1% decline in passengers in July.
The number of passengers at Ontario International Airport rose by 7.57%, while there was a 6.26% hike at Los Angeles International Airport and a 0.4% uptick at John Wayne Airport in Orange County.
More passengers, flights at JWA by 2030? - Daily Pilot
Airport panel to discuss limits today
The annual passenger limit would increase incrementally from the current 10.8 million to 12.2 million or 12.5 million by 2026. The number of passenger flights would increase incrementally from an average of 85 daily departures to 95 by 2030.
The Airport Commission is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. at the airport's administrative offices, 3160 Airway Ave., Costa Mesa.
The commission's recommendation will be passed along to the Orange County Board of Supervisors for a vote Sept. 30.
Orange County planners recommended approval of a draft environmental impact report for the extension Sept. 10.
September 8 - September 14, 2014
Mexican discount airline targets L.A. area- LA Register
Two months after Mexican airline Interjet bolted from John Wayne Airport following a lukewarm reception by travelers, an up-and-coming rival airline says it Mexican discount airline targets L.A. area wants to give the Orange County airport a shot.
Volaris, an ultralow-cost Mexican carrier, is a more extreme version of Southwest or JetBlue Airways. It charges for everything from a can of soda to luggage, and packs customers into its planes, so it can strip the advertised price of a ticket down to the bone.
It’s taking aim at stimulating the market in the Latino-rich Los Angeles region for leisure travelers and those who visit family and friends in Mexico and the U.S.
“John Wayne is certainly on our radar,” said Holger Blankenstein, chief commercial officer of Mexico City-based Volaris, the second-biggest airline in Mexico. “I would suspect that within 12 to 24 months we could see some operations at John Wayne.”
Since entering the California market five years ago, Volaris has established beachheads at Los Angeles International Airport as well as airports in Ontario, Fresno, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego and San Jose.
September 1 - September 7, 2014
County responds to comments on JWA EIR
Complying with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the county has prepared voluminous responses to hundreds of comments on the John Wayne Airport DEIR 617. The comments and responses are available for review online at http://www.ocair.com/settlementagreement/deir617/responses-to-comments
As is usual, the responses tend to brush off suggestions that challenge the preferred alternative negotiated between the County and Newport Beach.
Southwest Airlines commented that:
The
SNA Airline Airport Affairs Committee (AAAC), comprised of airlines
serving SNA, proposed Alternative B over a year ago after
numerous discussions with the Airport and other County
representatives. The AAAC's efforts in developing this
alternative were to recognize the noise and environmental concerns of
those communities surrounding the Airport, while also attempting to
meet the projected air service demands of those same communities.
The airline also comments that the environmental impacts are "overstated." "Quieter, lower emitting aircraft technology will likely be developed over the next decade. We want to ensure that the County recognizes this technology development and does not unnecessarily restrict the airlines from meeting the air service demands of the communities surrounding SNA."
The County responded by defended the DEIR conclusions regarding environmental impacts.
The Editor of this website commented that the DEIR analysis considers only trips to and from JWA. "It ignores the fact that allowing increased levels of service at JWA, projected as needed by the FAA during the period under study, will relieve Orange County air passengers from driving longer distances to Long Beach Airport, Ontario and to LAX" and that alternatives that provide greater utilization of JWA will "reduce traffic, reduce automotive pollution and save travelers' time."
The DEIR response acknowledges the comment but states that "it is difficult to precisely predict what choices Orange County residents and visitor might make absent additional capacity at JWA" and CEQA does not allow "speculation."
Click here for previous news reports
