In Aerospace Valley, air service is vital

Editorial Focus: The sad announcement of the departure of United Express dramatically underscores this community's growing need for efficient and affordable air service.

United Express began flying out of Palmdale Regional Airport on Monday, Feb. 1, 1993. With its final departure, United Express will leave aviation-oriented Antelope Valley with zero scheduled commercial air service.

It's ironic that in December, United Express was up 40.5% over its passenger count of December, 1996. Nevertheless, the company has been operating unprofitably ever since it began service here.

Of historic significance is the fact that this June will mark the 30th year since the Palmdale (Intercontinental . . . International . . . Regional) Airport was announced.

There have been a number of failed attempts to provide commercial air service for Antelope Valley, but we have never been able to get the basic concept right.

We are just close enough to Burbank Airport and Los Angeles International Airport that most people are persuaded to drive or to take the AV Airport Express van.

If you were booked on a United flight to some distant destination, the Palmdale-LAX link was delightfully inexpensive and extremely convenient - including free parking at the Palmdale terminal.

But if you were booked on another airline, the cost was prohibitive.

What's needed now is a schedule of flights that will take local passengers to Las Vegas or Phoenix or Denver or some other hub where they can connect with flights to thousands of domestic or foreign destinations.

The nation's airline industry is soaring during these upward-andonward economic times.

We simply must provide air service that people from Antelope, Santa Clarita, San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys will find expedient and affordable.

Thirty years is too much time to waste for decent air service for this fast-growing community which is on the leading edge of Southern California's growth pattern.

We must keep trying and flying until we get it right!