Citing Higher Costs, O.C. Board Raises Parking, Other Airport Fees

By DAVID REYES

March 13, 2002 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Squeezed by higher costs and fewer passengers since Sept. 11, John Wayne Airport will boost parking fees to $17 a day, up from $11, and raise hangar and aircraft storage fees, starting April 1.

Orange County supervisors approved the changes Tuesday, citing higher insurance, security and operating costs.

“The public-safety costs at our airport have gone up dramatically, and it’s our job to cover that,” Supervisor Todd Spitzer said. “Airports will never be the same again.”

John Wayne Director Alan Murphy said the airport is facing a $3-million loss for the fiscal year ending June 30, but he and other officials project that the rate increases will put the facility back in the black next year.

Airports nationwide have raised fees to deal with added security and other costs since the attacks. Recently, parking fees at Los Angeles International Airport rose to $30 a day.

Supervisor Tom Wilson challenged Murphy, asking whether planning costs for an airport at the closed El Toro Marine base were the reason for the projected loss. About $11.8 million in John Wayne funds was earmarked for El Toro airport planning for fiscal 2001-02. That funding is to end with last week’s voter approval of Measure W, which changed zoning at the former base from airport to park.

Murphy said the costs of El Toro planning were not the only reason for the rate increases. Passenger travel dropped 15% after Sept. 11, he said, and is still down 10%.

“We also had higher insurance costs because of 9/11,” he said. “I don’t think we would have been asking for funds other than because of Sept. 11.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

John Wayne Fees

New Current

Terminal $17 $11

parking* per day per day

Main Street $12 $7

parking* per day per day

Shuttles $2.25 $1.75

per trip per trip

Parking

permits** $50 $33