Cranky on the Web (June 23 – 27)

JetBlue, LGB - Long Beach

Long Beach Airport’s interim director embraces challengeOrange County Register
Long Beach lost its airport director recently and a sub has stepped in. I was asked to comment on the future of JetBlue in Long Beach. While I don’t see the airline leaving, if new leadership steps in, you never know what could happen.

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6 comments on “Cranky on the Web (June 23 – 27)

  1. Hard to think of Long Beach having flights to Central and South America. Maybe Cabo and some of the other resort Mexican cities, but that’s about it.

    1. David SF – Well, I could see it pushing into Central America, maybe something like Costa Rica. But really it’s just wherever the A320s would be able to go. I’d bet if they did it, it would mostly be Mexico as you say.

  2. This is an irresponsible comment. Our interim director is a LB Asst. City Mgr. When a vacancy occurs it is common practice for a department head to oversee that area until a search is completed.

    As for JB recent news release on international flying from LGB – that also was irresponsible and misleading to the public. There are no ongoing council discussions to move this forward. Policy begins with the city council and after many years of litigation and finally a resolve with a beautiful terminal supported by our LB residents this should not even be up for debate.

    1. Rae – Oh I do look forward to locking horns with you on this one, because, as usual, we are in complete and total disagreement. I can’t wait to see what you have to say when I write about this in depth. To respond to your specific points….

      Regarding the interim director, what exactly is irresponsible? Me saying that he’s a sub? He is a sub until they can find someone with airport experience to actually run the airport. Hard to argue with that.

      On JetBlue’s international flying, I’ve seen several efforts around the community to fan the flames about how bad this will be, but those efforts are at best misinformed. A customs facility would provide real benefit to the community in several ways. Now, whether it’s worth it or not is something that’s up for debate and negotiation, but the idea that this shouldn’t even be debated is silly and poor public policy. Let’s hope that others are more enlightened on this subject, if JetBlue is indeed serious about this.

      I’m working on my full post about this issue.

      1. Rae G, it’s IRRESPONSIBLE of you to bad mouth City Officials immediately after serving your terms on the Council! I’m sick and tired of people like you. If we don’t agree with your views, you tell us we are all wrong.

        And to call a company that brings millions of dollars annually to the Long Beach economy IRRESPONSIBLE is disgusting and shows how little regard you have for any airport related business.

        The citizens of Long Beach have spoken. They want JetBlue, they want great destinations, and now they want to be able to fly internationally without connecting or going through LAX!

        Perhaps if you , RAE G, and your liberal friends, were more business friendly, our city and state wouldn’t have the economic crisis that we are in.

        RAE G, get the hint! Our citizens want good air service at our airport, and people of our city want to be able to fly internationally nonstop!

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