American Eagle to Drop Service for Oxnard Airport

American Eagle has announced it will stop flying to Oxnard Airport on Sept. 4 because of low ridership, leaving only one commercial airline that offers flights between the city and Los Angeles International Airport.

“It was not an easy decision to make,” said Mitch Baranowski, an American Eagle spokesman in Dallas.

The airline now flies between Oxnard and Los Angeles seven times daily. Although Baranowski would not disclose how many travelers use the shuttle service, he said passenger load had fallen below 55% capacity.

Baranowski said the airline plans to upgrade its fleet from the 19-seat planes to 34-seaters. He said American Eagle marketing studies showed that flying the larger planes out of Oxnard would not be profitable.

“We just didn’t see a way to make it work with the larger aircraft,” Baranowski said.

American Eagle’s departure means the airport will lose an estimated $25,000 in annual landing fees, office rental and other income the airline contributes, said Rod Murphy, director of Ventura County’s Department of Airports.

But Murphy said the loss will not have a big effect on the airport’s $1-million operating budget that comes mainly from office rental, hangar leasing, parking fees and other miscellaneous income.

“It is the service to the community that bothers us more than anything,” Murphy said.

Oxnard Mayor Manuel Lopez agreed, saying the loss might make it harder for travelers to get to Oxnard.

“One of the things we always hear people complain about as far as conventions and tourism is that it is very difficult to get in and out of here,” said Lopez, who has flown American Eagle several times.

Carol Lavender, executive director of the Greater Oxnard and Harbors Tourism Bureau, asked the City Council on Tuesday to help with a letter-writing campaign to persuade American Eagle to stay.

Murphy said despite American Eagle’s probable departure, airport officials are working with a consultant to try to retain the airline. Murphy also said airport officials want to attract new carriers to the airport, especially airlines that would offer service to Sacramento and the Bay Area. The Oxnard Airport is used mainly by business and charter planes, Murphy said.

American Eagle, a regional affiliate of American Airlines, plans to eliminate one daily flight in June before it stops flying to Onxard entirely.

United Express, a partner carrier with United Airlines, now flies between Oxnard and Los Angeles nine times daily.

“We feel that United will pick up the slack,” Murphy said.

Steve Kinney, president of the Greater Oxnard Economic Development Corp., agreed that American Eagle’s departure could be good for United Express, but bad for Oxnard.

“It is disappointing to see them leave,” Kinney said. “It is just an ongoing dip in the up-and-down fortunes of the Oxnard Airport over time.”