Memo on Airline Industry Should Send Up Red Flags

I received the  memo http://www.scribd.com/doc/147292152/Airport-Analysis  today from the Long Beach Airport Director, Mario Rodriguez. He provides an analysis of the airline industry and the impact of some of the financial situation in the airline industry and how that is impacting Long Beach Airport.

The analysis is interesting and I am glad to receive it. However, I am concerned about the last several paragraphs in the memo that refer to the City's noise ordinance and the resolution restrictingflights to forty-one a day. His analysis indicates that this limitation has produced "the unintended effect of restricting entrance to the market." He also states that "reduced flight usage has an effect on the rate base of our airlines and the revenues of our concessionaires and rental care companies -- not to mention our local travel industry partners that depend on this lift."

This part of the memo concerns me greatly. The tone indicates that sometime down the line, the City will need to change the ordinance and resolution to accommodate the changes in the airline industry.

We do not need excuses to either do away with the Noise Compatibility Ordinance or to increase the number of flights per day. The impact of doing either would seriously harm the property values of the homes surrounding the Long Beach Airport who "depend on  a stable, quiet neighborhood" as guaranteed by the Noise Compatibility Ordinance.

I have expressed my concerns to Airport senior management that while this memo is informative that it should not be interpreted in any way that would suggest the City Council wants or will weaken the Noise Compatibility Ordinance which protects our neighborhoods.