ONTARIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TAXIWAY PROJECT WILL TEMPORARILY IMPACT AIRCRAFT CONTRA-FLOW OPERATIONS

Ontario, California (November 25, 2002) - Ontario International Airport's (ONT) Taxiway N Westerly Extension project will interrupt the airport's contra-flow operations starting December 3 for approximately two weeks and again beginning the first week of March 2003 for 60 days. Contra-flow occurs when arriving aircraft at ONT land to the west and take off to the east from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. to mitigate noise above areas outlying the airport in the City of Ontario. At all other times, aircraft at ONT normally land and take off in a westerly direction.

Contra-flow operations may also be interrupted sporadically for 1 to 2 days until project completion in August 2003.

As part of capital improvements at ONT, the $20.2 million Taxiway N Westerly Extension project will relocate the western portion of Taxiway N from 275 feet north of Runway 26R to 400 feet north of the runway. The project will re-align the western portion of the taxiway and includes construction of a concrete taxiway, asphalt shoulder pavement, service road relocation, airfield lighting and signage systems, storm drain system, sanitary sewer relocation, other miscellaneous underground utilities, and the relocation and upgrade of the Runway 8L glide slope facility.

"The airport is sensitive to the noise concerns of surrounding communities," said ONT Airport Manager Jens Rivera. "We want to assure the public that contra-flow will be suspended only when necessary throughout the taxiway extension project."

ONT operates a 24-hour noise comment line that the public can call to register comments, ask questions, and make suggestions about airport noise issues. Questions and comments are recorded in a computer file and condensed into reports. The airport's noise comment telephone number is (909) 937-2719. The public can also visit www.lawa.org and fill out a Noise Comment Form on-line.

"We want to work with parties who are concerned with airport noise issues, especially now that a major airport project will impact contra-flow operations temporarily," said Rivera. "In the end, however, the taxiway extension project will result in a safer and more efficient airport which will benefit the surrounding communities and traveling public."

ONT is located approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The airport is owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports, a Los Angeles City department which also owns and operates Los Angeles International, Palmdale Regional and Van Nuys Airports.