"These passengers were doing everything we wanted except picking the airport we wanted," she said.
Ducey
made her presentation at a Monday afternoon meeting of LAWA's Board of
Airport Commissioners, providing an update on the agency's
regionalization efforts.
A formal agreement with Disneyland
hasn't been signed, she said. But offers to passengers flying into
Ontario airport could include a rebate on their air fare, early
admission into the theme park, hotel discounts and more.
LAWA
agreed four years ago to spread air traffic in Southern California, or
regionalize it, as part of a legal settlement with neighboring cities
to LAX that opposed expansion plans there.
The number of
passengers using Ontario Airport in 2009 has steadily declined and is
expected to be 4.83 million passengers, its lowest level in more than
20 years. The incentives for Disney-bound passengers will help, said
Mark Thorpe, director of air service development for LAWA. But efforts
will need to be paired with increasing airline traffic at the airport,
especially with nonstop flights not served by other Southern California
airports. Nine of 17 destinations the airport serves with nonstop
flights, are able to be booked at other Southern California airports,
he said.
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