John Wayne Expansion Urged Over El Toro

Pressed to explain how Orange County can handle its travel needs without an airport at El Toro, a key south Orange County leader told a state Assembly committee Tuesday that John Wayne Airport should, instead, be tripled in size.

Assemblywoman Patricia Bates said the county’s existing airport could mushroom to handle an estimated 24 million passengers a year in 2020--a proposal once studied by the county but rejected as too expensive.

“I’m not suggesting that the people of Newport Beach should have to endure that expansion, but it probably would happen if El Toro doesn’t happen,” the Laguna Beach Republican said. Mission Viejo Councilwoman Susan Withrow agreed with Bates.

It was the first time that an expansion of John Wayne has been endorsed by airport foes as a replacement for El Toro. Anti-airport forces have said previously that future passengers should use other airports outside the county.

About 12 million Orange County passengers used Los Angeles International Airport last year--20% of LAX’s total--while John Wayne handled 7.5 million passengers. An additional 1 million Orange County passengers used Ontario International Airport last year.