preparation
of an air service study for Palmdale Regional Airport to determine specific
markets most suited for establishing new air service; LA
World Airports to market Palmdale
This
story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press December 6, 2000
By
VALLEY PRESS STAFF
LOS
ANGELES - Los Angeles World Airports is hopping on board a movement within
L.A.'s political circles to market Palmdale Airport to airlines.
The
Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners on Tuesday approved a request for
proposals for marketing and advertising consulting services to develop and
market Palmdale Regional and Ontario International airports.
LAWA
is the most recent organization to agree to develop a plan to market Palmdale
Airport.
Lately,
it seems, everyone from LAWA to the L.A. City Council to Mayor Richard Riordan
to L.A. County 5th District Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich wants air service
established at Palmdale Airport.
Earlier
this month, L.A. City Councilwoman Ruth Galanter successfully passed a proposal
to hire a consultant to work outside airline channels to market the airport and
eventually establish international operations in Palmdale.
That
proposal was originally introduced by Riordan, but was expanded upon by Galanter
to include hiring a consultant and creating an international airport in
Palmdale.
Antonovich
has already hired a consultant, who has completed a draft of a report on airport
development. The final version is due out early next month.
According
to a source close to Antonovich who has seen the draft, the document bodes well
for anyone arguing to establish operations at Palmdale Airport.
The
report concludes that most flights from Burbank Airport are local, the source
said.
Many
north L.A. County residents wishing to avoid the congestion of LAX book flights
at Burbank. That airport doesn't serve many hubs in the southwest, according to
the report.
The
report finds "there's this huge void for air service to the major hub
cities," the source said. "We're going to have a mountain of evidence
showing that passenger service should be restarted in Palmdale."
The
Palmdale Airport saw its last commercial operations end when United Express, the
only airline flying out of the hub, departed in April 1998.
Politicos
within L.A. are looking to outlying airports as a way of relieving congestion at
LAX.
According
to Philip Depoian, LAWA's deputy executive director for external affairs, the
proposal is the next step of his organization's new Air Service Development and
Marketing Program. The program's goals are to fully develop commercial passenger
and cargo airports at Ontario and Palmdale.
Several
air service development and marketing activities are already under way,
according to LAWA.
The
Air Force recently approved LAWA's plans to construct a 322 by 580-foot aircraft
cargo parking ramp and upgrade portions of the taxiways at Palmdale Airport.
The
proposal covers the following assignments:
preparation
of an air service study for Palmdale Regional Airport to determine specific
markets most suited for establishing new air service;
development
and implementation of a marketing plan for Palmdale Airport that targets markets
most likely to produce new air service and also includes additional surveys and
market research efforts;
implementation
of an already prepared strategic marketing plan for Ontario Airport that covers
the next three to five years with a sustained air service development and
marketing program;
preparation
of filings in support of air carriers' applications to the U.S. Department of
Transportation for international service to Palmdale, Ontario and Los Angeles
International airport.
development
and implementation of promotional and advertising plans related to new air
service development at Palmdale and Ontario airports; and
preparation
of air cargo studies at both outlying airports.