Ontario International Airport
Encyclopedia
LA/Ontario International Airport , formerly Ontario International Airport, is a public airport
located 2 NM east of the central business district
(CBD) of Ontario
, a city in San Bernardino County
, California
, USA
. This airport is owned and operated by the Los Angeles World Airports
(LAWA), an agency of the city of Los Angeles
. In 2008, 6.2 million passengers used the airport, a decline of 13.5% compared to 2007. The April 2011 passenger volume was down 4.6% than the year previous.
In early 2011, Southwest Airlines
was responsible for 54% of the passenger volume at the airport.
. The airfield was named Latimer Field in honor of an orange-packing company located next to the airstrip. In 1929 the city of Ontario purchased a 30 acres (12.1 ha) tract in the southwest corner of the present airport for $12,000 and established Ontario Municipal Airport.
In 1941 the city purchased 470 acres (190.2 ha) surrounding the airport and approved construction of new runways, which were completed by 1942. On February 27, an Army Air Corps
plane made the first landing. By 1943, during World War II
, the airport was earmarked as an Army Air Corps P-38 training base and P-59 operating base.
In 1946, Ontario Municipal Airport was renamed "Ontario International Airport" because of transpacific cargo flights originating from the facility. Western Airlines began scheduled passenger flights about 1950, and Bonanza arrived in 1955, but nonstop flights did not reach beyond Las Vegas. In 1962 Western began a nonstop to San Francisco (one Electra
daily) and Bonanza began nonstop F27s to Phoenix in 1967; jets arrived in 1968. In 1969 Continental started 720B nonstops to Denver and Chicago, Air California started 737s to San Jose, and PSA started San Francisco; Western began 737 nonstops to Sacramento and Salt Lake City. In 1970 United started a nonstop to Chicago and American started Dallas (and Chicago, for a short time).
In 1967, the city of Ontario and the city of Los Angeles entered into a joint powers agreement, making Ontario International Airport a part of the Los Angeles regional airports system.
In 1974, Ontario was the only Riverside-San Bernardino Area airport to host the Concorde
supersonic aircraft as it made its promotional around-the-world flights in October of that year.
In 1981, a new, second east-to-west runway, 26L/8R, was built, necessitating the removal of the old northeast-to-southwest runway, 4/22. Remnants of the former 4/22 runway are still visible in the present-day taxiways. With the completion of the new east-to-west runway, the existing Runway 25/7 was renamed to 26R/8L.
In 1985, the city of Los Angeles acquired Ontario International Airport outright from the city of Ontario.
In 1987, Runway 26R/8L was extended to the east so the runway's thresholds could be corresponding to runway 26L/8R thresholds in order for aircraft to fly higher over neighborhoods. This also made 26R/8L the main departing runway and 26L/8R the main arrival runway.
In 1998, the airport's new terminal complex opened.
In 2005-2006, Runway 26R/8L was repaved, received storm drains, strengthened, and improved runway lighting including centerline lights were added. Taxiways D, S, R, U, and W were widened, and better taxiways and runway outlines were also added. Aeroméxico
started seasonal flights to Guadalajara
and Mexico City
, the only international flights to Ontario.
In 2006, Ontario International Airport became LA/Ontario International Airport. The "LA" portion was added to make Ontario Airport geographically relevant to Los Angeles and to avoid confusion with the province of Ontario
in Canada
.
In 2007, Southwest Airlines who carried 49.38% of passengers. The other four airlines in the top five were United Airlines/United Express (8.64%), Delta Air Lines (7.93%), US Airways (7.08%), and American Airlines (6.18%).
UPS
uses the airport as their gateway for packages to and from Southern California. Expressjet formerly operated a hub at the airport.
s. It is the third major airport
in the area after Los Angeles International Airport
(LAX) and John Wayne Airport
(SNA). LA/Ontario International Airport is typically less crowded than LAX; according to Forbes.com it is one of the five best alternate airports in America. It is the West Coast air and truck hub for UPS
and is a major distribution point for FedEx Express. LA/Ontario International Airport was a hub for the independent operations of ExpressJet Airlines
, which began service to 14 destinations in April 2007. This service ended on September 2, 2008.
Thanks to Ontario's long runways (runway 8L/26R is longer than any of those at LAX), it is often used as an alternate landing site for large aircraft when LAX is inaccessible due to weather conditions or other reasons. It is an important alternate airport, since many trans-Pacific flights headed to LAX may have insufficient fuel remaining to reach other major airports. Due to Ontario's relatively small customs facilities and limited options for connecting flights, such rerouted flights typically do not disembark passengers at Ontario. Instead, the airport is usually used to refuel the aircraft, which then depart for a short flight to LAX once landing conditions there have improved.
The airport is located approximately 38 miles (61.2 km) east of downtown Los Angeles, 18 miles (29 km) west of downtown San Bernardino
and 14 miles (22.5 km) northwest of downtown Riverside. Motorists can either use the San Bernardino Freeway
(Interstate 10), Ontario Freeway (Interstate 15), or the Pomona Freeway (State Route 60) to access the airport. It is also served by Omnitrans
bus route 61 and by private shuttles.
By the end of 2006 Ontario International Airport was renamed to LA/Ontario International Airport to entice travelers from the over-trafficked Los Angeles International Airport
and also to reduce confusion with Ontario, Canada. LA/Ontario Airport is owned by the city of Los Angeles (LA World Airports)
ONT currently has more than 70 daily departures and arrivals and has at least 13,000 passengers use the airport each day.
Ontario Airport which used to be one of the fastest-growing airports in the country has seen a dramatic decline of passenger. Passenger traffic at ONT has dropped more than 47.5 percent from about 7.2 million to 4.88 million amid the recession. Recovery at LA/Ontario is expected to be much slower than at other airports in the region. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, LA/Ontario's passenger levels will not reach 6 million again until 2030. JetBlue, ExpressJet, Great Lakes and Aeromexico which prior to restarting service in November 2010 had all left the airport due to the recession, high fuel prices, and mostly the mismanagement of LAWA which includes Los Angeles World Airports charging a 15 percent administrative fee which is passed down to the airlines and makes it the costliest airport in the region, LAWA slashing ontario airport marketing budget by 85% to spending only $400,000 for the current fiscal year, having a high airport workforce (302 people on the payroll), and the high cost per passenger enplanment that is $14.50 per passenger which is twice the average for mid-sized u.s airports. These cost make it difficult for airlines to make a profit at Ontario. For these reasons there is a coutinuing downward sprial contributing to reduced air service which in turn results in fewer choices of flights and reduced passenger volumes. The decline in air service at Ontario airport led to a $400 million blow to the Inland Empire's regional economy and the loss of more than 8,000 jobs while the few remaining air carriers continue to slash service and increased ticket fees as a way to support operations.
Ownership and control of the airport became an issue in late 2010 when the City of Ontario, supported by the Southern California Association of Governments
, criticized and questioned LAWA's operation of the airport.
rules unlike other Southern California airports such as John Wayne Airport
, Bob Hope Airport
, and Long Beach Airport which all have very strict policies. The airport is allowed to operate 24/7, but during the hours of 10pm to 7am all aircraft must arrive from the east on runway 26L and take-off to the east on runway 8R. This procedure is known as "Contra-Flow" operations and applies to turbo-jet or turbo-fan aircraft. This procedure is similar to the one employed by Los Angeles International Airport(LAX) in which aircraft arrive from the west and depart to the west(known as "over-ocean" operations) between midnight and 6:30am. Both of these procedures are employed as long as weather and/or construction activity permits. This is done in an effort to be better neighbors and minimize the noise impact to the surrounding communities as much as possible.
) would be razed and be part of the new Terminal 1. One terminal would be dedicated exclusively to Southwest Airlines
and the other to United Airlines
, while the other airlines would share the remaining terminals.
Terminal 2 has 265000 square feet (24,619.3 m²) and 12 gates (201 - 212). Terminal 4 has 265000 square feet (24,619.3 m²) and 14 gates (401 - 414). The International terminal has 2 gates.
The old Ontario Airport had two terminals: the main terminal and a small terminal for Delta Air Lines
and SkyWest Airlines
. The old terminals are west of the current terminals. The old control tower is still used as an auxiliary tower. The previous design was of the traditional walk-up type with only one jetway gate; the new terminals use the modern jetway
system. The old terminals currently house the administration and the USO, and are used to film airport scenes in movies and television. They were used as an interior stand-in for the Los Angeles airport on the LAX
TV series, and used for a key plot development on the fifth season of the series 24
. The interior and exterior of Terminal 1 and the adjacent parking lot were used to portray a 1960s version of Miami International Airport
in Catch Me If You Can
. Other film productions utilizing the original airport buildings and locations include The Best Years of Our Lives
(1946), Back Street
(1961), The Counterfeit Killer (1968), Blow
(2001), and Zodiac
(2007). The old terminals will be razed when the new Terminal 1 is constructed.
Remote parking is located on the east end of the airport (moved from its former location at the west end). On the east end is a ground transportation center that consolidates the rental car companies in one central location. A circulator bus circles the airport and provides connections to each of the terminals, rental car and remote parking lots, and public transit stops.
General aviation is located at the south side of the airport, although most general aviation pilots tend to use a number of nearby airports: Redlands
Airport, Chino Airport
, Cable Airport
in Upland
, or Rialto Municipal Airport
.
, FedEx Express, Ameriflight
, and ABX Air
. Ontario is a major southwestern gateway hub for UPS.Over 200 pilots are based at the ontario hub. LA/ONT is the United Parcel Service's (UPS) Western Region hub for both air and trucking operations within a 13-state region. In addition to serving intra-regional traffic, the hub links UPS's global hub in Louisville and serves as gateway for UPS' cargo flights to and from China.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located 2 NM east of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
(CBD) of Ontario
Ontario, California
Ontario is a city located in San Bernardino County, California, United States, 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire region, it lies just east of the Los Angeles county line and is part of the Greater Los Angeles Area...
, a city in San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County, California
San Bernardino County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 2,035,210, up from 1,709,434 as of the 2000 census...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. This airport is owned and operated by the Los Angeles World Airports
Los Angeles World Airports
Los Angeles World Airports or LAWA is the airport oversight and operations department for the city of Los Angeles, California, United States...
(LAWA), an agency of the city of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. In 2008, 6.2 million passengers used the airport, a decline of 13.5% compared to 2007. The April 2011 passenger volume was down 4.6% than the year previous.
In early 2011, Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
was responsible for 54% of the passenger volume at the airport.
History
The airport was originally built by one of the first flying clubs in southern California, The Friends of Ontario Airport, and dates back to 1923, when a landing field was established east of Central Avenue (three miles west of the current airport) on land leased from the Union Pacific RailroadUnion Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
. The airfield was named Latimer Field in honor of an orange-packing company located next to the airstrip. In 1929 the city of Ontario purchased a 30 acres (12.1 ha) tract in the southwest corner of the present airport for $12,000 and established Ontario Municipal Airport.
In 1941 the city purchased 470 acres (190.2 ha) surrounding the airport and approved construction of new runways, which were completed by 1942. On February 27, an Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
plane made the first landing. By 1943, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the airport was earmarked as an Army Air Corps P-38 training base and P-59 operating base.
In 1946, Ontario Municipal Airport was renamed "Ontario International Airport" because of transpacific cargo flights originating from the facility. Western Airlines began scheduled passenger flights about 1950, and Bonanza arrived in 1955, but nonstop flights did not reach beyond Las Vegas. In 1962 Western began a nonstop to San Francisco (one Electra
Lockheed L-188 Electra
The Lockheed Model 188 Electra is an American turboprop airliner built by Lockheed. First flying in 1957, it was the first large turboprop airliner produced in the United States. Initial sales were good, but after two fatal crashes which prompted an expensive modification program to fix a design...
daily) and Bonanza began nonstop F27s to Phoenix in 1967; jets arrived in 1968. In 1969 Continental started 720B nonstops to Denver and Chicago, Air California started 737s to San Jose, and PSA started San Francisco; Western began 737 nonstops to Sacramento and Salt Lake City. In 1970 United started a nonstop to Chicago and American started Dallas (and Chicago, for a short time).
In 1967, the city of Ontario and the city of Los Angeles entered into a joint powers agreement, making Ontario International Airport a part of the Los Angeles regional airports system.
In 1974, Ontario was the only Riverside-San Bernardino Area airport to host the Concorde
Concorde
Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde was a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport . It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation...
supersonic aircraft as it made its promotional around-the-world flights in October of that year.
In 1981, a new, second east-to-west runway, 26L/8R, was built, necessitating the removal of the old northeast-to-southwest runway, 4/22. Remnants of the former 4/22 runway are still visible in the present-day taxiways. With the completion of the new east-to-west runway, the existing Runway 25/7 was renamed to 26R/8L.
In 1985, the city of Los Angeles acquired Ontario International Airport outright from the city of Ontario.
In 1987, Runway 26R/8L was extended to the east so the runway's thresholds could be corresponding to runway 26L/8R thresholds in order for aircraft to fly higher over neighborhoods. This also made 26R/8L the main departing runway and 26L/8R the main arrival runway.
In 1998, the airport's new terminal complex opened.
In 2005-2006, Runway 26R/8L was repaved, received storm drains, strengthened, and improved runway lighting including centerline lights were added. Taxiways D, S, R, U, and W were widened, and better taxiways and runway outlines were also added. Aeroméxico
Aeroméxico
Airways of Mexico, SA de CV , operating as Aeroméxico, is the flag carrier airline of Mexico based in Colonia Cuauhtémoc, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City. It operates scheduled domestic and international services to North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia...
started seasonal flights to Guadalajara
Guadalajara
Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco...
and Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, the only international flights to Ontario.
In 2006, Ontario International Airport became LA/Ontario International Airport. The "LA" portion was added to make Ontario Airport geographically relevant to Los Angeles and to avoid confusion with the province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
In 2007, Southwest Airlines who carried 49.38% of passengers. The other four airlines in the top five were United Airlines/United Express (8.64%), Delta Air Lines (7.93%), US Airways (7.08%), and American Airlines (6.18%).
UPS
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
uses the airport as their gateway for packages to and from Southern California. Expressjet formerly operated a hub at the airport.
Present-day operations
The airport covers 1700 acres (688 ha) and has two runwayRunway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s. It is the third major airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
in the area after Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
(LAX) and John Wayne Airport
John Wayne Airport
John Wayne Airport is an airport in an unincorporated area in Orange County, California, with its mailing address in the city of Santa Ana, which is also the county seat, hence the International Air Transport Association airport code. The main entrance to the airport is off of MacArthur Blvd in...
(SNA). LA/Ontario International Airport is typically less crowded than LAX; according to Forbes.com it is one of the five best alternate airports in America. It is the West Coast air and truck hub for UPS
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
and is a major distribution point for FedEx Express. LA/Ontario International Airport was a hub for the independent operations of ExpressJet Airlines
ExpressJet Airlines
ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. is an American regional airline based in the A-Tech Center in College Park, Georgia. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlantic Southeast Airlines which is in turn a subsidiary of the airline holding company SkyWest, Inc., parent company of the air carrier SkyWest...
, which began service to 14 destinations in April 2007. This service ended on September 2, 2008.
Thanks to Ontario's long runways (runway 8L/26R is longer than any of those at LAX), it is often used as an alternate landing site for large aircraft when LAX is inaccessible due to weather conditions or other reasons. It is an important alternate airport, since many trans-Pacific flights headed to LAX may have insufficient fuel remaining to reach other major airports. Due to Ontario's relatively small customs facilities and limited options for connecting flights, such rerouted flights typically do not disembark passengers at Ontario. Instead, the airport is usually used to refuel the aircraft, which then depart for a short flight to LAX once landing conditions there have improved.
The airport is located approximately 38 miles (61.2 km) east of downtown Los Angeles, 18 miles (29 km) west of downtown San Bernardino
Downtown San Bernardino
Downtown San Bernardino is a district in San Bernardino, California, United States. It is home to city and county government buildings, as well as the city's central business district...
and 14 miles (22.5 km) northwest of downtown Riverside. Motorists can either use the San Bernardino Freeway
San Bernardino Freeway
The San Bernardino Freeway, formerly known as the Ramona Freeway is a freeway in Los Angeles and Orange Counties in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It refers to the following two segments:...
(Interstate 10), Ontario Freeway (Interstate 15), or the Pomona Freeway (State Route 60) to access the airport. It is also served by Omnitrans
Omnitrans
Omnitrans is a public transportation agency in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The largest transit operator within San Bernardino County, it serves the San Bernardino Valley. The agency was established in 1976 through a joint powers agreement and today includes 15 cities and...
bus route 61 and by private shuttles.
By the end of 2006 Ontario International Airport was renamed to LA/Ontario International Airport to entice travelers from the over-trafficked Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
and also to reduce confusion with Ontario, Canada. LA/Ontario Airport is owned by the city of Los Angeles (LA World Airports)
ONT currently has more than 70 daily departures and arrivals and has at least 13,000 passengers use the airport each day.
Ontario Airport which used to be one of the fastest-growing airports in the country has seen a dramatic decline of passenger. Passenger traffic at ONT has dropped more than 47.5 percent from about 7.2 million to 4.88 million amid the recession. Recovery at LA/Ontario is expected to be much slower than at other airports in the region. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, LA/Ontario's passenger levels will not reach 6 million again until 2030. JetBlue, ExpressJet, Great Lakes and Aeromexico which prior to restarting service in November 2010 had all left the airport due to the recession, high fuel prices, and mostly the mismanagement of LAWA which includes Los Angeles World Airports charging a 15 percent administrative fee which is passed down to the airlines and makes it the costliest airport in the region, LAWA slashing ontario airport marketing budget by 85% to spending only $400,000 for the current fiscal year, having a high airport workforce (302 people on the payroll), and the high cost per passenger enplanment that is $14.50 per passenger which is twice the average for mid-sized u.s airports. These cost make it difficult for airlines to make a profit at Ontario. For these reasons there is a coutinuing downward sprial contributing to reduced air service which in turn results in fewer choices of flights and reduced passenger volumes. The decline in air service at Ontario airport led to a $400 million blow to the Inland Empire's regional economy and the loss of more than 8,000 jobs while the few remaining air carriers continue to slash service and increased ticket fees as a way to support operations.
Ownership and control of the airport became an issue in late 2010 when the City of Ontario, supported by the Southern California Association of Governments
Southern California Association of Governments
The Southern California Association of Governments is the metropolitan planning organization of six of the ten counties in Southern California, serving Imperial County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and Ventura County...
, criticized and questioned LAWA's operation of the airport.
Noise restrictions
LA/Ontario has few noise restrictions/abatementAircraft noise
Aircraft noise is noise pollution produced by any aircraft or its components, during various phases of a flight: on the ground while parked such as auxiliary power units, while taxiing, on run-up from propeller and jet exhaust, during take off, underneath and lateral to departure and arrival paths,...
rules unlike other Southern California airports such as John Wayne Airport
John Wayne Airport
John Wayne Airport is an airport in an unincorporated area in Orange County, California, with its mailing address in the city of Santa Ana, which is also the county seat, hence the International Air Transport Association airport code. The main entrance to the airport is off of MacArthur Blvd in...
, Bob Hope Airport
Bob Hope Airport
Bob Hope Airport is a public airport located 3 miles northwest of the central business district of Burbank, a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States...
, and Long Beach Airport which all have very strict policies. The airport is allowed to operate 24/7, but during the hours of 10pm to 7am all aircraft must arrive from the east on runway 26L and take-off to the east on runway 8R. This procedure is known as "Contra-Flow" operations and applies to turbo-jet or turbo-fan aircraft. This procedure is similar to the one employed by Los Angeles International Airport(LAX) in which aircraft arrive from the west and depart to the west(known as "over-ocean" operations) between midnight and 6:30am. Both of these procedures are employed as long as weather and/or construction activity permits. This is done in an effort to be better neighbors and minimize the noise impact to the surrounding communities as much as possible.
Terminals
LA/Ontario International Airport has three terminals. The terminal numbering scheme is designed to accommodate future growth. The airport's master plan calls for five terminals to be spaced adjacent to and in between the existing Terminals 2 and 4. The "international terminal" (which is a small building designed primarily to segregate arriving international passengers to clear customsCustoms
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
) would be razed and be part of the new Terminal 1. One terminal would be dedicated exclusively to Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
and the other to United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, while the other airlines would share the remaining terminals.
Terminal 2 has 265000 square feet (24,619.3 m²) and 12 gates (201 - 212). Terminal 4 has 265000 square feet (24,619.3 m²) and 14 gates (401 - 414). The International terminal has 2 gates.
The old Ontario Airport had two terminals: the main terminal and a small terminal for Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
and SkyWest Airlines
Skywest Airlines
Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd is a regional airline company based in Perth, Western Australia, Australia; servicing key towns in the state of Western Australia, Darwin, Northern Territory and Melbourne, Victoria; as well as charter flights to Bali, Indonesia....
. The old terminals are west of the current terminals. The old control tower is still used as an auxiliary tower. The previous design was of the traditional walk-up type with only one jetway gate; the new terminals use the modern jetway
Jetway
A jet bridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside...
system. The old terminals currently house the administration and the USO, and are used to film airport scenes in movies and television. They were used as an interior stand-in for the Los Angeles airport on the LAX
LAX (TV series)
LAX is a television drama set at the Los Angeles International Airport and draws its name from the airport's IATA airport code, "LAX".-Synopsis:...
TV series, and used for a key plot development on the fifth season of the series 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
. The interior and exterior of Terminal 1 and the adjacent parking lot were used to portray a 1960s version of Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
in Catch Me If You Can
Catch Me If You Can
Catch Me If You Can is a 2002 American biographical comedy-drama film based on the life of Frank Abagnale Jr., who, before his 19th birthday, successfully performed cons worth millions of dollars by posing as a Pan American World Airways pilot, a Georgia doctor, and a Louisiana parish prosecutor...
. Other film productions utilizing the original airport buildings and locations include The Best Years of Our Lives
The Best Years of Our Lives
The Best Years of Our Lives is a 1946 American drama film directed by William Wyler, and starring Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, and Harold Russell, a United States paratrooper who lost both hands in a military training accident. The film is about three United States...
(1946), Back Street
Back Street (1961 film)
Back Street is a 1961 film made by Universal Pictures, directed by David Miller, and produced by Ross Hunter. The screenplay was written by William Ludwig and Eleanore Griffin based on the novel by Fannie Hurst. The music score is by Frank Skinner...
(1961), The Counterfeit Killer (1968), Blow
Blow (film)
Blow is a 2001 biopic about the American cocaine smuggler George Jung, directed by Ted Demme. David McKenna and Nick Cassavetes adapted Bruce Porter's 1993 book Blow: How a Small Town Boy Made $100 Million with the Medellín Cocaine Cartel and Lost It All for the screenplay. It is based on the real...
(2001), and Zodiac
Zodiac (film)
Zodiac is a 2007 American mystery-thriller film directed by David Fincher and based on Robert Graysmith's non-fiction book of the same name. The Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros...
(2007). The old terminals will be razed when the new Terminal 1 is constructed.
Remote parking is located on the east end of the airport (moved from its former location at the west end). On the east end is a ground transportation center that consolidates the rental car companies in one central location. A circulator bus circles the airport and provides connections to each of the terminals, rental car and remote parking lots, and public transit stops.
General aviation is located at the south side of the airport, although most general aviation pilots tend to use a number of nearby airports: Redlands
Redlands, California
Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 68,747, up from 63,591 at the 2000 census. The city is located east of downtown San Bernardino.- History :...
Airport, Chino Airport
Chino Airport
Chino Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located about three miles southeast of Chino, a town in San Bernardino County, California...
, Cable Airport
Cable Airport
Cable Airport is a non-towered public-use airport located two miles northwest of the central business district of Upland, a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is privately-owned by the Cable Land Company.-History:...
in Upland
Upland, California
Upland is a city in San Bernardino County, California, located at an elevation of 1,242 feet . As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 73,732, up from 68,393 at the 2000 census. It was incorporated on May 15, 1906, after previously being named North Ontario.-History and culture:Upland...
, or Rialto Municipal Airport
Rialto Municipal Airport
Rialto Municipal Airport , originally called Miro Field, is a general aviation airport located three miles northwest of the central business district of the city of Rialto, in San Bernardino County, California, USA....
.
Airlines and destinations
Traffic and statistics
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  Phoenix, ArizonaPhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States... |
400,000 | Southwest, US Airways |
| 2. |  Oakland, CaliforniaOakland International Airport Oakland International Airport , also known as Metropolitan Oakland International Airport, is a public airport located south of the central business district of Oakland, a city in Alameda County, California, United States... |
254,000 | Southwest |
| 3. | Sacramento, California Sacramento International Airport Sacramento International Airport is a public airport located 10 miles northwest of the central business district of Sacramento, in Sacramento County, California, USA. It is run by Sacramento County... |
233,000 | Southwest |
| 4. |  Las Vegas, NevadaMcCarran International Airport McCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise in Clark County. It covers an area of and... |
215,000 | Southwest |
| 5. |  Denver, ColoradoDenver International Airport Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel... |
205,000 | Great Lakes Airlines, Southwest, United |
| 6. |  Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas |
203,000 | American |
| 7 | San Jose, California San Jose International Airport Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport is a city-owned public-use airport serving the city of San Jose in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is named for San Jose native Norman Yoshio Mineta, who was Transportation Secretary in the Cabinet of George W... |
145,000 | Southwest |
| 8 | Houston, Texas (IAH) George Bush Intercontinental Airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59... |
144,000 | Continental |
| 9 |  Seattle, Washington |
136,000 | Alaska |
| 10 |  Salt Lake City, UtahSalt Lake City International Airport Salt Lake City International Airport is a major public airport in Utah. A joint civil-military facility, it is located in western Salt Lake City, approximately four miles from the central business district... |
88,000 | Delta |
Cargo operations
The airport hosts four cargo airlines, UPS AirlinesUPS Airlines
UPS Airlines is an American cargo airline owned by United Parcel Service Inc. . The company is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. Its home airport is located at Louisville International Airport...
, FedEx Express, Ameriflight
Ameriflight
Ameriflight LLC is an American cargo airline with its headquarters in Hangar 1 on the grounds of Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California. It is the largest United States FAA Part 135 cargo carrier, operating scheduled and contract cargo services to destinations in 30 US states, Canada, Mexico, and...
, and ABX Air
ABX Air
ABX Air, Inc., formerly Airborne Express, is a cargo airline headquartered at Wilmington Air Park in unincorporated Clinton County, Ohio, United States, near the City of Wilmington. ABX Air operates scheduled, ad hoc charter and ACMI freight services. It also provides flight support services and...
. Ontario is a major southwestern gateway hub for UPS.Over 200 pilots are based at the ontario hub. LA/ONT is the United Parcel Service's (UPS) Western Region hub for both air and trucking operations within a 13-state region. In addition to serving intra-regional traffic, the hub links UPS's global hub in Louisville and serves as gateway for UPS' cargo flights to and from China.
Popular culture
- In 1946, an airplane "graveyard" located at the airport, containing surplus and retired aircraft from the recent war, was used for a memorable scene in the Samuel GoldwynSamuel GoldwynSamuel Goldwyn was an American film producer, and founding contributor executive of several motion picture studios.-Biography:...
film The Best Years of Our LivesThe Best Years of Our LivesThe Best Years of Our Lives is a 1946 American drama film directed by William Wyler, and starring Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, and Harold Russell, a United States paratrooper who lost both hands in a military training accident. The film is about three United States...
. - In January 2006, LA/Ontario Airport was featured, by name, in Season 524 (season 5)Season Five, also known as Day 5 of the television series 24 premiered on January 15, 2006 and aired its season finale on May 22, 2006.The Season Five storyline starts and ends at 7:00 a.m. It is the same time frame as the previous season....
of the television drama series 2424 (TV series)24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
, in which terrorists took control of the airport (then known as Ontario Airport) and took several hostages. - The airport and its original terminal building were featured in the final scenes of the 2007 film ZodiacZodiac (film)Zodiac is a 2007 American mystery-thriller film directed by David Fincher and based on Robert Graysmith's non-fiction book of the same name. The Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros...
. - The airport has been used to represent several other airports in films and television
See also
- List of airports in the Inland Empire Metropolitan Area
- California World War II Army AirfieldsCalifornia World War II Army AirfieldsDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Forces established numerous airfields in California for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers.-Overview:...
External links
- LA/Ontario International Airport (official site)
- LA/Ontario International Airport Master Plan
- Fly Ontario
- openNav: ONT / KONT charts
- Weikel, Dan. "As use dwindles, calls grow for local control of Ontario airport." Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles TimesThe Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
. October 31, 2011.