Commission Delays Action on Reno Air Early Flights

Faced with strong public criticism of plans to allow Reno Air jetliners to take off from Burbank Airport at 6:40 a.m.--breaking a voluntary 7 a.m. noise curfew--the airport’s governing board voted Tuesday night to put off consideration of the controversial proposal.

Saying the early-morning flights would unnecessarily increase noise levels, scores of Burbank residents, including Mayor David Golonski, turned out at a meeting of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Commission to protest the airline’s request.

The protesters urged commissioners to write a strongly-worded letter to Reno Air, reiterating the need to abide by the voluntary 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew.

“I believe the airport authority should request Reno Air to reconsider its schedule in the strongest terms possible,” Golonski said. “There will be a significant backlash from the community as a result of curfew violation.”

By separate 4-3 votes, airport commissioners tabled motions by Burbank commissioner Philip E. Berlin, incorporating Golonski’s proposal while agreeing to research the issue further.

Pasadena commissioner Chris Holden also directed the airport staff to find what he called a “reasonable and feasible” solution for the airline and residents that included the use of quieter MD-90 aircraft.

Currently, three other airlines--Alaska, United and America West--schedule flights that leave before 7 a.m., according to airport officials. In addition to an early flight, Reno Air has proposed departures from Burbank to its San Jose hub at 6:40 a.m., 10:35 a.m., 3 p.m. and 5:50 p.m.

John Albrecht, Reno Air’s director of airport operations, told the airport commissioners that the airline was considering moving the 6:40 a.m. flight to 7 a.m. That would not happen until Jan. 1, he said, because the airline has already sold tickets on some of the announced flights.

But competitive pressures may complicate the debate. According to Albrecht, Reno Air serves business people who travel to the Silicon Valley and want to get to their meetings before the business day.

“Reno Air is willing to abide by the curfew if the other three airlines were also to abide by it,” said Albrecht, who added that the early-bird flights “were among the most lucrative” of the day.

Burbank officials worry that such thinking would result in a “domino effect,” encouraging other airlines to compete for passengers with flights before 7 a.m. That will heighten distrust of the airport’s intentions, especially its efforts to build a 19-gate terminal, which Burbank has been fighting for years on the grounds it will increase aircraft noise.

“I think other airlines will also be tempted to violate the curfew,” Golonski said. “Reno is flying in direct competition with Southwest on this route and Southwest Airlines currently abides by the curfew.”

Airport officials maintain that none of the early flights violate current noise standards, and that there are fewer early-morning flights now than in past years.

“The airport is legally under an obligation to grant access to any airline that wants to come here,” said airport spokesman Victor Gill. “There are only two conditions: that the airline fly jets with the newest and quietest technology and that [engine] noise limits dating back to 1978 not be exceeded.”

The commission could take up the issue again next week.