Airport Could Spell Bankruptcy

* The recent John Wayne Airport passenger survey (Aug. 5) shows that John Wayne is a rich man’s airport, with the typical traveler earning at least 60% more than the average Orange County resident.

Airlines at John Wayne charge higher prices because the noise abatement agreements limit the number of seats they can sell on each flight. Will a new airport at El Toro be any better? Not likely.

Aircraft departing from El Toro will also fly with less than full capacity, due to the laws of physics. Difficult terrain and prevailing tail winds mean that aircraft must reduce payload in order maintain safety margins.

This was confirmed in a report sent to the county in May from the consulting firm Jeppeson Sanderson, which said that even without tail winds, on a moderately cool day, aircraft are limited in their ability to depart from the county’s preferred runway. But that’s not all airlines will have to contend with.

Higher landing fees will be required to pay off the bond debt of building the airport, including the $300-million people mover. Airlines will also have to add the cost of maintaining dual facilities at John Wayne and El Toro.

Factor in a likely boycott of El Toro by south Orange County, and you have all the ingredients for financial failure.

None of this would matter, of course, if El Toro had no competition. The financially troubled new airport in Denver succeeded because the previous international airport, Stapleton, closed down, eliminating competition.

But visiting tourists and Orange County residents alike will find that they can get cheaper flights just by traveling down the road to Los Angeles International Airport. We haven’t seen the last time when newspaper headlines will pair the words “Orange County” and “bankruptcy.”

ARNOLD BURKE

Lake Forest

* As a citizen of Newport Beach, I am outraged with the four letters from South County residents Aug. 9 that arrogantly made false and derogatory statements about my city in their strategic battle to mislead county voters on the El Toro airport issue.

Cynthia Weitz of Laguna Niguel stated, “Newport residents are deeply worried that should an international airport not be built at El Toro, then John Wayne will not be closed or limited to private aircraft. . . .”

The truth is that Newport Beach and the county have both publicly stated John Wayne Airport will continue with no reduction in flights. In fact, the airport plan voted on by the supervisors actually increases flights at John Wayne.

Richard Plavetich of Laguna Beach said, “Newport Beach’s plan to spend $1.5 million on a PR campaign supporting an airport at El Toro is the latest cynical attempt to rid itself of the nuisance of John Wayne.”

No, it would hurt our city financially to close John Wayne. The money for a PR campaign is being used to counteract untrue statements such as Plavetich’s and inform the public of the truth.

Neil Morchower of Irvine quoted an article describing strong business growth in Irvine as a reason for not having an additional airport at El Toro. His logic was that apparently we do not need an airport to attract new business to our area.

What Morchower neglects to consider is that with all the new companies and employees moving to Irvine, the air traffic demands increase as well. That is why several important studies have indicated we need El Toro airport for the anticipated future air traffic needs of our county.

But it was Dave Kirkey of Coto de Caza who boldly stated what anti-airport people really want is to start the process of opening up John Wayne right now and eliminate the restrictions that keep John Wayne running at 50% of capacity.

That is the thinking I consider most hypocritical. In spite of the fact that South County residents are the biggest users of John Wayne Airport (Irvine and Mission Viejo alone account for 40% of the users), they want Newport Beach to double flights over their homes so that they aren’t inconvenienced by any air traffic.

The letters represent the hypocrisy of anti-El Toro airport activists. They are the biggest users of our airport but are fighting hard to keep it in someone else’s backyard. Fairness demands that they share in the burden they have created!

ANGELA GALLAGHER

Newport Beach

* Re “El Toro Jet Noise Analysis Isn’t Sound, Critics Say,” Aug. 12:

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or 2 million tax dollars to figure out what a jet sounds like. Just ask the residents of Newport Beach.

RIK HOCKING

Aliso Viejo