• Bomb Threat

On May 8^th, 2012, Orange County ABC-News reported that Southwest  Airlines flight 811, departing for Phoenix was grounded and quarantined following a bomb threat.  Although, investigators determined that it was a false alarm, the flight was delayed overnight.  Two other  flights from SNA Airport that landed inPhoenix were part of the investigation too. There is speculation that Transportation Security Administration, — will most likely be tightening security to avert any future breaches.

Did you know…that the TSA was established on November 19, 2001, following the 9/11 attack of the World Trade Center, Twin Towers in New York City.

• New International  Destinations

On a positive note, the John Wayne International Airport lives up to its global moniker with the announcement of new direct flights to Cabo San Lucas and Mexico City. When Southwest Airlines recently acquisitioned Air Transway Airlines, it gained a new flight schedule to Mexico. Starting June 3, 2012, these flights will be boarding in Terminal C at the SNA airport.

• Flight Stats

Orange County officials of John Wayne International Airport released traffic statistics for March 2012. Data shows that flights slumped by 1.8 percent. During March 2012, 727,000+ passengers traveled via the SNA Airport. Flight traffic reports portray fewer commercial aircraft operations, a 3.4. percent drop from March 2011.

• Antique and Art

From now through July, passengers traveling through John Wayne International Airport may consider checking out  a collection of 1930s and 1940s classic and antique radios, currently on display. Aptly named ‘Sound Design”, some 80+ radios are on exhibit in the Vi Smith Concourse Gallery at Terminal A (near gates 2-5) and gates 18 – 21 in Terminal C.

There appears to be an imbalanced disparity in Los Angeles International Airport’s social media numbers. Annually, LAX reports some 59 +million airline passengers. (In 2011, 61,862,052 million airline passengers  passed through the arrival and departure gates of the So-Cal airport). However, the international hub is following only 33 of its 13,034 Twitter followers. Even the LAX profile on Twitter,  reads an unwelcoming message, which reads:

Los Angeles International Airport Twitter profile description: “Official site for the sixth busiest airport in the world and third in the U.S. LAX reserves the right to remove any comments for any reason.”(as of April 27, 2012).

LAX’s tweet style tends to focus on far more celebrity gossip and political rhetoric  than travel information. Indeed ,LAX passengers deem celebrity sightings far more vital than obtaining flight news about cancellations and terminal updates.

Seven hundred and ninety two are the number of tweets that the San Diego International Airport has sent to its 6,247 followers. The SAN Airport is like the Los Angeles Airport in that it follows a disproportionately lower number of it followers.

San Diego International Airport’s tweet style is not as one-sided as LAX social media style.

John Wayne’s International Airport’s online brand strategy reeks of resourcefulness. It’s profile message reads:

John Wayne Airport is owned and operated by the County of Orange. This account’s list of followers may be subject to California’s Public Records Act.

With more than 1800 followers, the  Orange County Airport  follows almost 10 percent of its followers. In terms of tweets, the John Wayne International Airport also tweets useful travel information about the airport, construction, baggage, security and even dining tips.

Do you follow Orange County Airport on Facebook or Twitter? Post your opinion.

In a feature installment of  the Orange County Business section, a pithy report chronicles the history and financial impact of the John Wayne International Airport.   The 2011 expansion was a major construction program and economic boom for Orange County, assessed at approximately $1.2 billion in jobs and other direct and indirect economic factors–says sources from the SNA airport supervising committee.

Alan L. Murphy, the director of John Wayne International Airport, emphasizes: “We are thrilled that AirTran Airways is bringing Orange County our first-ever non-stop service to Mexico.”

Given the Orange County International Airport’s latest expansion and architectural functionality with the addition of Terminal C there is speculation that John Wayne International Airport will be the preferred hub for travel to Canada or  Mexico.

The marriage between Southwest Airlines and AirTran dons a new destination route, departing from Orange County, California to Mexico. The first flight for the new destination out of SNA Airport takes off on June 3 2012.  Daily flights departing from Orange County International Airport will fly non-stop to Cabo San Lucas and Mexico City.   Other international flights shuttle service to Vancouver and Calgary.

Comprised of a board of five local district airport supervisors, the airport maintains strategic partnerships with well known Orange County businesses, such as Disneyland Resorts, Farmers and Merchant Bank, and Gensler to name a few.

Aside from improving the financial vitality in Orange County and adding more international destinations, the SNA Airport has also been recognized in the arts. Three of the 8-Orange County students, who earned state level honors in the 2012 International Aviation Student Art Contest, aptly dubbed “Silent Flight,” triumphed with National Honors and will continue on to the International Level of the contest, scheduled for May 2012.

Share your comments, opinions and  news regarding Orange County International Airport

HotelNewNow, an online publication is forecasting a 4 percent jump in global travel and tourism.  With Orange County’s recent makeover and convenient shuttle service from John Wayne International Airport to Disney’s Magic Mountain,  there is speculation that more families will be shuffling through the Airport SNA’s checkpoint this year.

As last year’s YouTube video of a toddler being poked and prodded by a TSA agent remains a viral phenomenon on the waves of the Internet; and, while the father, who captured the uncomfortable footage, hopes to create awareness  of  the infringement of personal privacy, the TSA procedure for checking children suggests that the security evaluationwas not out of the ordinary.

The  U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) continues to fine tune its checkpoint procedures,  passengers should know that Airport SNA  also requires passengers leaving the country to have a passport.

According to the terms of security checks, TSA agents have the authority to probe and patdown children, who remain in a stroller sling or other seated device. Nonetheless, the terms of getting through Airport SNA or any other U.S.airport indicate that TSA agents are within the right to search children, seated in  a stroller.

Moral of the story: Plan ahead by reviewing the security checkpoint details at the TSA.gov or SNA aitport website. Try to allow at least two-hours before flight take offs and perhaps allow children to walk through the x-ray machine when possible.  (This does not mean that a TSA agent won’t  execute any groping tactics).

What are the SNA Airport security measures for disabled and medicated airline passengers?
Post 9/11,  physically disabled travelers, suffering from a medical condition have to plan ahead for flights departing from SNA Airport. The TSA mans a call center of sorts, dubbed the TSA Cares helpline, where representatives answer questions from 6 a.m. – 6 p.m (PST).  Agents should be able to respond to concerns, pertaining to boarding a flight with a prescription; accessing security checkpoint in a wheelchair to the policy for airline passengers, wearing a cast. 855.787.2227.

Allow more time at the SNA Airport security checkpoint.
With the next tier of construction underway at SNA, airport officials advise passengers to allow more time to park, check in and get through the security checkpoints. From now through December 2012, a seismic retrofitting project is taking place on the lower level or the arrival entrance of John Wayne International Airport.

Is pre-security screening coming to SNA Airport?
For frequent business travelers, many are hoping that the TSA Pre?™, initiative will ultimately make its way to SNA.

Twenty-eight other U.S. airports are slated to implement the passenger pre-screening program. Even airports comparable in size to SNA Airport, such as : Ted Steven Anchorage, Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) plan to institute the TSA Pre?™ programs. The only drawback is that the pilot program is being offered through three major airline carriers via specific international US airports. At the Los Angeles and Nevada airports. American Airlines is test driving the initiative.

Do you think SNA Airport should participate in the TSA Pre™  program?

Since the completion of Terminal C of John Wayne International Airport, Southwest occupies a vast majority of the gates.  For the residents of Orange County, reasonably priced airline tickets coupled by the convenience of flying out of SNA airport cedes making the trek to LAX. Although the airline known for its affable service and unassigned seats suggest that it will be adding new destinations, it shares Terminal C with Frontier airlines.

As the Southern California airport, serving more than 9 million passengers,  implements the finishing touches of its renovations, flight statistics indicate a moderate shift in passenger traffic at SNA airport  low crime and decent security.

For the last two years–as the Orange County Airport underwent an expansion renovation project. At the same time, airport officials have  been tracking all crime statistics and incident reports at the SNA Airport.

Data aggregated by the Orange County Sheriff’s office in 2010 illustrates an airport with very little crime. Statistics documented 314 suspicious circumstances in 2010.  In 2010, there were not any documented rapes, robberies and and only five burglaries. The  Transportation Security Administration confiscated 57 weapons at the SNA security checkpoint.  (That’s just merely  1-weapon a week).

The staff of the Orange County SNA Airport is comprised of Captain Mike Hiller, a lieutenant, six sergeants, a dozen deputy sheriffs and 85 sheriff’s special officers.

The SNA Airport also maintains a special unit with a team of explosive detectives that includes the support of canines Cyril, Rico and Goldie. Throughout the week, the two units conducut random baggage searches to check for detonating compounds and narcotics.

Yet despite the modicum of safety and security at the Orange County Airport, December 2011 statistics show some declining numbers and a shift in the SNA Airports’ operations. As is the case of commuter aircraft operations dropped 3.6 percent while the number of air cargo tons soared by 16.4 percent. Moreover, the number military operations jumped by 3200 percent in comparison to December 2011.

However, the  statistical data showed an extortionate number of moving and parking citations: 727 and 1516, respectively.

Namely, the 5701 square foot runway of Orange County California holds North America’s record for the shortest runway. By the time an aviaphobic (person who suffers from flying)  has a chance to respond to the expeditious surge in the air, there’s no time to respond as one’s stomach does back flips and cartwheels.

Yet once the expert pilots, whom transport airline passengers in and out of SNA Airport reach the appropriate altitude,  the take off is enough to rehabilitate an aviaphobic that flying is not such horrifying ordeal after all.

But, Orange County Airport did not make Travel Leisure Most dangerous Runways in the world. In comparison to the airports of La Guardia, Newark, Reagan and Paro airports, commercial planes at SNA airport take off full throttle with precisely timed landings.

At Newark, Reagan and La Guardia commercial airline pilots have to be aware of intersecting runways, the Pentagon and other runway distractions.

Despite the abbreviated runway at Orange County John Wayne Airport, the airport is not nearly as terrifying as flights arriving or departing from Bhutan at the Paro Airport, nestled in the Himalayan Mountains.

An article published at Yahoo.com, documents that “Only eight pilots are
qualified to land at the Paro Airport. Daylight is the only time when flights are authorized to land or take off.

And while, SNA runway is over 1000 ft. shorter than the Paro Airport, pilots  do not have to navigate statuesque 18,000 foot high peaks or abodes situated mountainside to land in the  Orange County John Wayne Airport -safely.

Learn how to ride a Harley Davidson  Orange County.  Lessons transpire over five days with evening classes during the week days, not conflicting with any daytime conferences and appointments.  The schedule goes from Thursday through Monday, with Saturday and Sunday classes starting at 8 a.m. in the morning.

If  lessons are unnecessary, there’s always the showroom or even a few souvenirs to snag before departure. (The Harley Davidson store of Orange County is in Irvine California a 12 minute short ride or precisely 8.6 miles from the John Wayne Airport Orange County.  Orange County Harley-Davidson | 8677 Research Dr.| Irvine, CA 92618 949-727-4464

Chateau D, which happens to be less than a mile from the John Wayne Airport Orange County is scheduled to open sometime this year with a tasting and event room, features Black Oak Merlot (a combination of Merlot, Syrah, and Barbera). Chateau Diana | 18552 Mac Arthur Blvd, #310, Irvine, CA

And for any oenphile with aviaphobic tendencies, Robert Mondavi’s vineyard just 11-minutes west.  (The distance is 6-miles the John Wayne Airport Orange County. A delightful vineyard resides on an aptly named thoroughfare, 1570 Scenic Avenue in Costa Mesa. The winery also makes for a convenient pit stop, before checking into the hotel.

And these wineries in turn serve as good quick trips before heading to the John Wayne Airport Orange County — to suppress flight trepidation.  (Recommended for those, who can digest grapes without any repercussions in flight).

Travelers posted positive and negative commentary on the consumer review site Yelp.com. During the month of November 2011, , more than dozen reviewers on Yelp.com raved about the ease of travel at SNA airport. Local residents raved about the airport’s convenience. Although a few asserted that the price to depart from John Wayne Airport was a little more expensive than flying out of LAX all agreed at the ease.

However, Robert, S, a resident of Irvine,C explained why SNA garners a “dangerous” reputation in North America: “the steep landing and take-offs. In fact, the SNA’s runway happens to be the shortest one in the United States, 5701 feet.

On YouTube, someone by the alias ‘DFA548’ posted a video of SNA’s expeditious take off on Septberm 26, 2006. Since that, time more the 85,000 people have reviewed the video.

The SNA Airport also maintains a frequent social media presence on Facebook and Twitter, posting tweets and status updates.  The SNA airports online marketing philosophy enables satisfied and disgruntled passengers to comment on operations.

Earlier this month, the John Wayne Airport’s Facebook page revealed a first look of its latest new eatery, Anaheim Ducks restaurant. (Source: Facebook). From the SNA airports social media sites, it’s quite apparent that it will maintain its online social presence for years to come (or at least until Twitter and Facebook fade away).

What is your opinion of SNA Airport in comparison to LAX?