John Wayne passenger traffic in August hit 946,426, a new monthly record.
In a series of reports, the El Toro Info Site analyzes the significance in terms of the airport’s $652 million capital improvement program, caps on the airport’s utilization adopted by the county in 2003 that will remain in place until 2015, and why airport management may have to withdraw some air carrier’s authorization to provide service in order to stay under the caps.
Let's see them actually tell the airlines to cancel flights, or force them to fly with empty seats. They've never faced this before and won't have the guts to do it. Easier to exceed the cap and then say, "Oops. Sorry." There's no penalty for it (Len? Is there?) so why not? Might as well get Newport used to 12 MAP or more - that's what's coming after 2015.
Posted by: Jim | September 13, 2007 at 07:55 PM
Sorry Jim but they have withdrawn seat allocations from airlines in the past when the caps were lower and I expect that they will do it again if the airport gets too close to its new caps. The airlines have to agree as a condition of being allowed to fly at JWA.
You are suggesting that they breach a court ruling. The county and NPB agreed to settle litigation in 1985 and all of these subsequent changes are court approved amendments to the original settlement agreement. I don't know what sanctions the judge would apply in case of a breach but I bet the county has no stomach to find out.
Posted by: Len Kranser | September 13, 2007 at 09:02 PM