Oxnard Airport Reports No Holiday Delays Despite Alert

A heightened antiterrorism alert has not caused plane or passenger delays at Ventura County’s small commercial airport.

Things have been running smoothly for Oxnard Airport and its lone carrier, United Express, which offers shuttle flights to LAX, according to airport manager Chris Hastert.

Security precautions at Los Angeles International Airport are at elevated levels.

“We only have five flights a day and each flight only holds 30 people,” Hastert said.

“Because of the small number of people, we don’t need them to show up as early as at LAX, but we’re still asking passengers to show up a minimum of one hour to 90 minutes before their flight.”

With the extra security, all passenger luggage -- both checked and carry-on -- is being inspected, Hastert said.

But the federal Transportation Security Administration, which employs the screeners, has had adequate staffing in Ventura County to ensure that passengers are moved through quickly.

Hastert reminded holiday travelers to have photo IDs ready, keep presents unwrapped and leave sharp metal objects at home.

The airport manager said he was not aware that anyone had missed a flight to LAX this week. “The biggest thing is just arriving with plenty of time to spare,” he said. “You’ve got to leave time for parking and getting all your baggage in and having time to relax before your flight.”