Airport hours may be expanded

New ordinance attempts to make Long Beach Airport more business friendly

Have you ever walked along campus having a nice quiet conversation with a friend, when suddenly out of nowhere a sound from the sky overtakes your conversation? You can do nothing but cover your ears and wait for the plane to pass.

How about being awakened by an aircraft one hour before your alarm clock goes off only because some big shot wants to reach the city in time for his breakfast.

This is what could happen after the city council voted April 11 to settle its 12-year-old lawsuit with Alaska Airlines. Among other things, the settlement would allow business and recreational planes to fly from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., adding two extra hours of air travel per day to the schedule at Long Beach Airport. It would also cap the number of flights per day to 41.

The suit was brought by several major airlines, led by Alaska Airlines, which felt an ordinance adopted in April 1983 was discriminatory and unreasonable. The ordinance mandates a daily cap of 15 commercial flights and noise-control guidelines. The ordinance also forced some carriers to give up one daily flight a piece in order to accommodate United Airlines and American Airlines.

In an attempt to make Long Beach a business friendly airport, city council members approved the settlement and began plans to revitalize the Long Beach Airport. The settlement isn't final yet. When its approved by a federal judge after that the new flight rules will take effect in about a month.

Two-hundred local residents showed up at the council meeting threatening to sue in order to block the settlement. Residents' major concern about the settlement was the provision allowing earlier and later takeoffs.

"A good neighbor to me doesn't decide to wake me up at 6 a.m.," said Patrick Rodrigues of Cerritos.

Residents wanted an environmental impact study done to determine the impact on the communities. But the council decided the impact would be minimal.

"If the council members feel the impact is minimal, they should try studying at my house," said Scott Onasis, a student at CSULB who lives in the airport flight path. "The noise can sometimes be unbearable and now they want to bring more flights. This is not LAX, this is Long Beach."

The issue became an argument over business revitalization or the residents' quality of life. The city council showed they are committed to bringing businesses back to Long Beach. Long Beach is the 32nd largest city in the United States and the fifth largest city in California. Of the top five cities in California, it is the only one that doesn't have a major airport.

"Every time I leave this city and have to take an airport shuttle to LAX, I resent it," said Doris Topsy-Elvord, 6th District councilwoman. Long Beach is still not considered to be a userfriendly airport even after the ordinance is finished. Alaska Airlines left in January, Arizona Airlines left earlier this month even after knowing about the settlement. The airport only has three passenger carriers and two freight carriers left.

The feeling among most of the council members is without a business environment, it makes it harder for them to figure out how to provide funding for services like parks and recreation, keeping priority one police calls under five minutes, and other major city improvements.

Long Beach Mayor Beverly O'Neill is afraid the control over the airport will go to the federal government. "Ongoing litigation would result in loss of local control of the airport," the mayor said, in the city council meeting. In the past the federal government has not been sensitive to the community. The suit asks for the federal government to take control of the airport.

"I will not under any circumstances take the risk of having the FAA or federal government take control of this airport," said Mike Donelon, councilman from the 7th District.

"I'm not so sure I believe the settlement will remain where it is," said Stacy Holmes, a CSULB student. "If the flight increase further then it will become a problem for those of us who live near or study near the flight path."

The council voted 7-1, with Jeff Kellogg, 8th District councilman voting no. Kellogg said the only opposition he has is the 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. bridge time. Bridge time is the time which flight are not allowed to fly. "The bridge time will not bring business or tourism to Long Beach," Kellogg said.