LOS ANGELES WORLD AIRPORTS ISSUES STATEMENT ON DISRUPTED FLIGHT OPERATIONS AT LAX AND ONTARIO
6:00 pm PST -- Sunday, October 26, 2003

At 6:00 p.m. PST, Los Angeles World Airports reported that Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Ontario International Airport (ONT) were open and fully operational. However, both airports were experiencing flight delays and cancellations due to disruption in operations at a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) radar facility in San Diego.

The FAA's Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility at Miramar Air Station was evacuated earlier Sunday when it was threatened by one of the San Diego fires. With the Miramar facility temporarily closed, the FAA was able to handle only a portion of the normal air traffic for Southern California airports, resulting in flight delays and cancellations of flights throughout the nation.

Early Sunday evening, FAA controllers at LAX were handling about half the normal arrival rate of 70 aircraft per hour. The reduction in the number of arriving flights was causing delays or cancellations in outbound flights.

To increase its operational capability, controllers from FAA's Miramar facility were reporting to work at the LAX Tower and more were expected to arrive overnight. FAA officials said Sunday evening the additional staffing at the LAX Tower was beginning to show a positive impact on the number of operations.

It is not known when the FAA's Miramar facility will resume normal operations.

A check of major airlines at 5 p.m. indicated about 100 departure flight cancellations had been recorded since mid-morning Sunday.