Airport: Travel to Long Beach by Way of L.A.

It was 10 years ago when I moved to Long Beach. Came from Chicago and I was impressed by all the positive things that took place in Long Beach.

I had known Long Beach for many years prior to settling here. I remember the time when downtown was a sad sight with flophouses, bars, pawnshops, tattoo parlors and was teeming with bums and panhandlers. In those days, if you asked me if I would like to live in Long Beach, your answer was a resounding no.

However, the scenery has changed. Downtown Long Beach became attractive. It looked like a world-class city: An oceanfront convention center, the World Trade Center, one major hotel after the other was built, a busy port, a small, but significant airport with five major airlines serving the city. It was a pleasure to come to Long Beach. So I bought property here and made Long Beach my home.

Now, 10 years later, I am sorry I did. The city is drowning in its own juices. One cannot get to Long Beach unless he flies into Los Angeles or Orange County airports. How in the world do we expect to attract business if we don’t offer a convenient way to get here? Who in his sane mind would arrange a major convention or conference and have the members arrive at one of the other airports and take the grueling trip to Long Beach in a limo that takes forever to catch and winds its way through Carson and San Pedro before it drops you off at your hotel in Long Beach?

Recently I have been doing a lot of that. Why? Because one airline after the other has been abandoning the Long Beach airport. Alaska Airlines’ last day flying in and out of Long Beach is Jan. 31.

Who is responsible for undermining the viability of this city? When air travel is the major means of getting to one’s destination, allowing an airport which is the lifeline of a city to be abandoned for any reason is criminal, or at the least ignorant, in my judgment.

JOHN C. NOVAK

Long Beach