JWA expansion won’t happen overnight

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT BEACH -- City leaders ebullient about securing an extension of

the flight restrictions at John Wayne Airport are confident the deal will

protect homes under the flight path for some time to come.

The airport could not implement most of the pieces of the modest

expansion until Jan. 1, 2005, but city leaders don’t expect a major

increase in jet flights any time soon.

Under the terms of an extension deal tentatively approved by the

Orange County Board or Supervisors on Tuesday, the airport could add 2.1

million additional passengers from its current level, four more flight

gates and 12 more of the noisiest flights per day.

However, with the depressed airline industry and additional security

restrictions on airports resulting from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks,

don’t expect a jump any time soon, officials said.

“You’re not going to see any dramatic changes,” Councilman Gary

Proctor said. “It’s going to be continued growth.”

The airport handled 7.3 million passengers last year and 7.8 million

in 2000.

The airport is operating under the rules of a 1985 settlement

agreement that imposed a cap of 8.4 million annual passengers and 73 of

the noisiest flights. The nighttime curfew was in place before that

agreement.

The deal approved by supervisors Tuesday would replace the 1985

agreement, which is set to expire Dec. 31, 2005. The board will consider

a final extension agreement, which will be loaded with details, in about

three months.

Airport spokeswoman Ann McCarley agreed that a wave of additional

flights is not expected to hit the airport on Jan. 2, 2005. The airport

could, at some future point, go to 9.8 million annual passengers under

the deal.

“We’re not going to hit the 9.8 million right away,” McCarley said.

“It will be phased in.”

Even if the airlines wanted to add the additional flights, the airport

would probably need to construct the new gates. And that wouldn’t happen

quickly or easily, City Atty. Bob Burnham said.

It would take more than knocking down a few walls, Burnham said.

“To add the gates would require the county to consider how the

construction would occur,” Burnham said. “It’s not quite that easy.”

Both the Airport Working Group and Stop Polluting Our Newport must

agree to the extension as well. They have, on previous occasions, said

they would support the city’s extension.

The extension of limits on commercial flights, a one-time deal, would

last until Dec. 31, 2015. In addition, two additional cargo flights would

be added to the existing two. Limits on business jets and other private

planes would be extended until Jan. 1, 2021.

Airport Director Alan Murphy has said he will begin discussions with

the airlines, which have voiced objections to extending the limits.

The county’s unanimous approval of the deal sends a clear signal to

the airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration that the county is

united on at least one airport issue, City Manager Homer Bludau said.

“It sends a very strong message to the airlines and the FAA that

everybody is together on this issue,” Bludau said. “It was huge for us

that the vote was unanimous.”

MORE JWA AND EL TORO NEWS

The Newport-Mesa school district will take its own look at county

plans for JWA. See Page 5

Plans for an El Toro alternative are heading back to the drawing

board. See Page 5