John Wayne Flyer Numbers Fall

SANTA ANA, CA – Data released by John Wayne Airport today showed an overall decrease in numbers for November 2019 when compared with November 2018. In November 2019, the Airport served a total of 827,140 passengers, a 2.7 percent drop compared to the previous year.

In terms of aircraft operations, commercial air use fell almost 5 percent, air cargo tonnage fell 13 percent and general aviation use fell 22 percent. As a whole, total aircraft operations (flight take-offs and landings) were down almost 16 percent compared to November 2018.

In terms of international activity, the number of passengers and the number of flight operations both fell. The number of individual international passenger transactions was down 30 percent whilst international flight operations fell 35 percent. International statistics include all Canada and Mexico commercial passengers and operations.

The figures are not all doom and gloom however, as both the numbers of commuter flights and military flight both showed strong increases, with military operations rising more than 60 percent and commuter operations more than doubling.

In addition, despite the precipitous drop in comparative monthly figures, the year-to-date/year-on-year figures are far less severe. Although international passenger numbers were down 16 percent compared to the first 11 months of 2018, the total overall passenger count was down less than 1 percent.

Similarly, although air cargo and total aircraft operations are down over 2018, their year-to-date losses are only in single figures : air cargo falling 9 percent and total operations off 4 percent.

Compared to these reversals the year-to-date military and commuter operations both show strong gains. Military operations have increased almost 19 percent, 952 compared to 802 in 2018, whilst commuter operations rose almost three-fold, 4,949 take-offs and landings compared to 1,476 over the same period in 2018.

The top three airlines in November 2019 based on passenger count were Southwest Airlines (261,072), American Airlines (139,892) and United Airlines (129,677).

John Wayne Airport (SNA) is owned by the County of Orange and is operated as a self-supporting enterprise that receives no general fund tax revenue. The Airport serves more than 10 million passengers annually and reaches more than 20 nonstop destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico. More information can be found at www.ocair.com.

Patch has approached the airport authorities for comment.