Easy Answer to Airport Woes

James Flanigan has hit the nail on the head with one of his statements in his article on the increase in air traffic in Southern California (“Ascending to a New Era,” Nov. 6).

His statement: “The master plan for airport capacity into the next century faces regulatory and legal challenges as well as political opposition on many fronts.”

It’s easy to see why there will be challenges to the master plan, since it ignores alternatives to the massive buildup of LAX and Burbank Airport, which would be safer and more convenient for travelers and also be more friendly to the neighbors surrounding these airports.

On the issue of safety: Burbank Airport has short intersecting runways. If the number of passengers increase from 5 million to 12 million, as indicated in the article, it is an invitation for the type of disaster that occurred at Tenerife Airport in the Canary Islands when two passenger jets collided on the ground.

On the issue of convenience: Passengers from Ventura County and Lancaster/Palmdale must travel long distances to reach either LAX or Burbank Airport. Ventura County and Lancaster/Palmdale have been, and will continue to be, among the fastest-growing areas in Southern California. The solution is easy: Look to the future and build airports at Point Mugu and Lancaster. The runways are already there, and the only thing that is lacking is for the FAA, the airport operators and the airlines to expand their myopic view.

RON VANDERFORD

Burbank

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The article correctly states that the Burbank City Council has rejected the Airport Authority’s plans to purchase land from Lockheed Martin to enlarge the existing terminal. But your readers need to know that the City of Burbank does not oppose relocating and modernizing the Burbank Airport to improve the safety, comfort and convenience of its passengers. What we object to are attempts by the Airport Authority to impose an expansion plan on the city that increases the number of gates from 14 to 27 and fails to protect our residents from increased negative impacts such as noise, air pollution and street traffic.

We insist that airport improvements not come at the expense of quality of life for Burbank residents and that the Airport Authority respect our obligation to consider the needs of all those who will be affected by expansion plans.

BILL WIGGINS

Mayor, City of Burbank