L.A. Airport Expansion

The Times’ assessment (editorial, April 5) of the situation facing Southern California’s regional airport system was on target in many respects. However, I believe the editorial may have left an inaccurate impression by terming the proposed LAX expansion “mammoth.” Our region’s current passenger demand will more than double and the current cargo demand will triple. Yet, while today’s LAX handles three-fourths of the region’s passenger traffic and two-thirds of the region’s air cargo, under future conditions LAX will handle less than 60% of the region’s air-passenger demand and less than 50% of the region’s air cargo demand. Most of our demand for growth will be international passengers and cargo. Ontario Airport, also operated by the Los Angeles World Airports department, has grown and will grow much more rapidly than LAX.

The LAX Master Plan does not, cannot and should not address the entirety of the region’s future aviation needs. Without the LAX Master Plan’s approach to both the region and local communities, however, there will be no way for Southern California to address the shortage of airport capacity. I am optimistic that we can create a new regional aviation system, one within which LAX will play a significant role in ensuring a great economic and compatible environmental future for Los Angeles.

JOHN J. DRISCOLL, Exec. Dir.

Los Angeles World Airports

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* It is widely agreed that there will be increasing demand for flights in and out of LAX in the coming years. Dealing with that growth by building a Palmdale airport just does not make sense.

I travel several times a month on behalf of my technology firm. I, like so many other business travelers, would find the extra commute to and from Palmdale intolerable. Not only do I not want to be on the road those extra hours, but the lost time costs my company money.

Local leaders should choose to modernize LAX, ensuring that the economic benefits accompanying the growth help communities around the airport and the entire L.A. region.

JAY GOLDMAN

Monrovia

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* At 3,500 acres, LAX is one of the smallest major airports in the nation. It currently accommodates 58 million annual travelers, 18 million over its intended capacity. Given the congestion on its runways and in our skies, how can tiny LAX logically, or safely, accommodate substantial growth? The plan proposes creating new runways by reconfiguring existing ones. This will severely disrupt service.

The obvious alternative is to create a new airport in Palmdale, where Los Angeles owns 18,000 acres. Palmdale is a more convenient point of entry for cargo bound for Ventura, Bakersfield, Phoenix or Las Vegas. Palmdale may actually be more attractive to passengers compared to the chaos of LAX. Palmdale offers an opportunity to create an airport that will keep our region competitive for the next generation.

STEVE MARTIN

Mayor of West Hollywood