Quote:
Originally Posted by spoonman
How likely is expanded airline service, beyond what is currently offered? Will an extra 800ft be a difference maker?
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County practically has letters in hand promising real commercial service McClellan-Pallomar if they expand the runway. Airlines aren't generally willing to publicly make these sort of commitments far in advance, but there is a proven interest.
800 feet might not seem like much, but a 5000 foot runway essentially limits commercial service to the the smallest of regional jets, and then only within the southwest. It's a very limited market, so limited that the economics of it don't really work out. A 5800 foot runway though could allow all sizes of regional jets to operate with enough range to cover the entire continental US. It could in theory even accommodate 737s although the constrained airport landside makes this unlikely. I would expect to start seeing service to some of the western hubs (LAS, PHX, DEN, SEA, possibly DFW) fairly soon after the expansion. CRQ is never going to be a major hub, or even a minor focus city like SNA, but it could see a lot of utility as an alternative to SAN for regional flights.