Suggestions for an El Toro Airport

* During the 76 1/2 years I have lived in Southern California, I have seen the quality of life degraded by loss of open space. Once there was no smog.

People have become jammed together, which causes stress and, thus, a greater need for parks where one can feel space. I am a strong advocate of saving every bit of open space possible.

As a compromise between what I want and what is inevitable, I think that Irvine’s “Great Park” plan is the most practical way of saving as much open space as possible.

JUANITA MATASSA

Santa Ana

* Our very lives and our serenity are being seriously threatened by the El Toro Reuse Planning Authority, which thinks the existing airport agreement that expires in 2005 should be overturned in order to expand John Wayne from its current cap of 8.4 million passengers a year to 14 million (“Panel Backs Lifting Limits at John Wayne,” March 27). “We’d like to see better utilization of John Wayne Airport, and that’s a fair position,” said Mission Viejo Councilwoman Susan Withrow, ETRPA’s past chairwoman. They claim this is necessary because Newport Beach is pushing for a new airport at El Toro.

I remember 30 years ago when the public officials said Orange County Airport will never be a major airport. Now, 30 years later, we are accommodating all of Orange County at a relatively new built-out airport that impacts all of our lives from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Get your heads out of the sand, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Santa Ana, Orange, Villa Park and Anaheim Hills, and join the effort to make South County pay “its fair share” of airport convenience and travel. Call the Airport Working Group of Orange County and see how you can get involved and help in this fight of our life to determine what’s really fair.

DAYNA PETTIT

Newport Beach

* The underlying issue that rules the pro- versus anti-airport battle in Orange County is convenience. It is convenient for the prominent members of Newport Beach to cast John Wayne Airport aside, to rid themselves of all the negative aspects of a commercial airport. All to maintain the stature and prominence the residents of Newport Beach hold so dear.

Yes, John Wayne is restricted in size. However, the operational capacity is artificially restricted. Ending the restrictions would not necessitate further expansion of the facility gates, longer runway or night flights, as asserted by the Airport Working Group and Newport Beach. With the stroke of a pen, utilization of John Wayne could be increased to accommodate any growth in air travel.

M. CONNAIR

Lake Forest

* On a recent trip to the East Coast, I returned to John Wayne Airport, disembarked, retrieved my luggage and was on the road home within 15 minutes of the plane arriving at the gate. The convenience of a small, “boutique” airport always seems to be overlooked. I would much rather pay a higher air fare to travel through John Wayne than to travel through a behemoth like LAX or what the planners envision El Toro to be.

Whenever possible, I avoid large airports. Who wants to park three miles from the terminal, drag luggage on shuttle buses, fight crowds to dozens of gates and hunt for bags on one of 20 or so carousels? I personally enjoy flying from John Wayne Airport and will avoid El Toro if it is built.

GARY MAR

Laguna Niguel

* My wife sometimes shops at Ontario Mills Mall in spite of many great local Orange County malls. In airport parlance that’s called a draw or catchment area. People can’t be forced to shop at a particular mall. LAX’s catchment area extends to Orange, San Bernardino and Ontario counties. This is the reason why, despite many attempts, Ontario Airport has been unable to sustain routes to Canada and Mexico. The controversial El Toro airport faces the same dilemma: People can’t be forced to use an airport, especially one that many consider unsafe.

A future Camp Pendleton airport has a decided advantage over Ontario and the proposed El Toro airport. Once a Pendleton airport is in operation, San Diego will shut down all long-haul flights out of Lindbergh Field. Pendleton airport’s catchment area would immediately include all of San Diego and parts of Orange and Riverside counties.

A chance-of-a-lifetime opportunity exists because San Diego, while favoring Pendleton, still may locate its new international airport elsewhere. It’s time for action now for Orange County’s leadership.

DAVID L. HAMMOND

Foothill Ranch