County Seeks Public's Help in Airline Bid for Oxnard Airport

July 9, 2013
To try to restore airline service to Ventura County, officials are advertising for help from the public.

July 09--To try to restore airline service to Ventura County, officials are advertising for help from the public.

Managers are looking for a carrier to replace United Express, which left the Oxnard Airport in June 2010 because of low passenger levels. United Express flew to Los Angeles, but officials are now talking with airlines that fly to Phoenix, Las Vegas and the San Francisco area.

Managers advertised in Sunday's editions of The Star seeking letters of support for their application for a $500,000 federal grant to provide incentives to a carrier.

The county Department of Airports paid for the $2,100 ad with user fees and not tax dollars, said Jorge Rubio, manager of the county-owned airports in Oxnard and Camarillo.

"I just wanted to get the word out so everyone in the county would know we're still committed," he said Monday.

A strong show of support will strengthen the application for the funds designed to help small communities establish air service, he said.

The grant from the federal Transportation Department would pay for incentives such as advertising and startup revenue for a carrier, he said.

About 250 applications for as many as 40 grants come in nationwide, Rubio said, and at most four are awarded in each state.

Rubio said one carrier has shown interest in coming to Oxnard but that he could not disclose the name because of ongoing negotiations.

Rubio said the letters of support must be submitted to the county airports agency by July 18. He expects to hear about the grant by the end of the year, he said.

Rubio's address is Department of Airports, 555 Airport Way, Suite B, Camarillo, CA 93010. His email is [email protected].

Copyright 2013 - Ventura County Star, Calif.