Online survey logs public support for new terminal at Bob Hope Airport
In a recent online questionnaire about Burbank Bob Hope Airport, 80% of 915 respondents supported replacing the existing 82-year-old terminal, which doesn’t meet federal aviation safety guidelines.
The online survey made it clear that the new terminal would have no more gates than the existing one, and noted that the aging facility is too close to the runways and does not meet current seismic safety requirements.
About a third of the respondents — 336 — came from Burbank, with 232 from Glendale, 131 from Pasadena, 37 from Los Angeles and 149 from residents in other cities.
Among Burbank respondents, 79% were in favor of a new terminal, according to a report presented to the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority on Monday.
Some responses to the open-ended questions in the survey included: “A new terminal is long overdue” and “Build it tomorrow.”
About 29% of all respondents — 32% in Burbank — did not support a new terminal. Some of their responses included, “I’d say don’t fix what ain’t broke” and “[Seismic] upgrading the building seems a better plan than building a new terminal.”
About 60% of respondents also said they would like to see more amenities if a new terminal is built, with 31% asking for more places to eat and shop.
They also asked for better baggage handling, more and improved seating and free WiFi.
Several of the respondents said they would support a new terminal if it would mean no new taxes or fare increases.
Airport officials have said all of the funding for the new terminal will come from the airfield, which is self-sustaining through parking revenues, rental fees and passenger-related charges.
In a telephone poll conducted earlier this year, 67% of the 1,111 people surveyed in the tri-city area favored a replacement terminal.
Both questionnaires were undertaken by the Airport Land Use Working Group, comprising staff from the airport and the city of Burbank, and were conducted by Goodwin Simon Strategic Research.
All of the results can be viewed at www.bobhopeairportsurvey.com.
Twitter: @LAMarkKellam
