IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
Ontario International Airport took a victory lap last week with a gathering that marked its 10th anniversary under local control.
Approximately 700 business, government and community leaders attended the State of the Airport Gala Nov. 6 at the National Guard Hangar, according to a statement on the airport’s website.
The celebration, titled “Reclaimed. Revived. Ready.” highlighted a decade of growth in passenger traffic, air service, cargo operations and economic impact. It also included a preview of ONT BOLD, the airport’s long-term development and expansion program.
“Ten years ago, this region demonstrated what could be accomplished through determination, cooperation and a shared vision,” said Ronald O. Loveridge, president of the Ontario International Airport Authority’s board of commissioners and a member that body since it was formed in 2012.
“Today, we have the opportunity — and the responsibility — to build on that legacy. Local control was an extraordinary achievement, and what we do with it is an extraordinary responsibility.”
Since returning to local control, ONT has grown from approximately 4.2 million annual passengers to more than 7.1 million, while more than doubling its nonstop destinations. Today, 11 airlines offer service connecting Southern California travelers to destinations across 15 states and four countries, with up to 90 daily departures.
International passenger traffic has more than tripled, while annual cargo volume has increased 40%, reinforcing ONT’s position as one of the nation’s leading cargo airports and a critical component of the Inland Empire’s emergence as a global supply chain hub.
