From Dom Betro, Palomar Airport Action Network
Monday, March 9, 2026
While we wait for the consolidated Court Case August Hearing on the American
Airlines and United Airlines expanded use of Palomar Airport, please note the
following:
1. County Lease Action to Increased American Airline Flights from Palomar Airport
The County is planning to allow American Airlines to increase from 4 to 8 flights per day
(4 in/4 out). This is in addition to the 8 flights per day (4 in/4 out) which United Airlines will
be implementing in April. This will probably be an Action Item on the PAAC Agenda on
March 19, and an upcoming County Board of Supervisor (BOS) Meeting. Please be
prepared to oppose in writing and in person if able.
We also may need to petition the Carlsbad City Council to take legal action on this
item at their Tuesday March 24, 5PM City Council Meeting. More details to follow.
(Please hold the date and time to attend)
2. Recent Meetings with the Carlsbad City Mayor and City Manager
C4FA Representatives invited me to accompany them in these meetings to present our Get
Noisy project. It was well received and prompted good discussion about mutual concerns.
As a result, I composed the below and attached Important Considerations to counter
some of the “noise” the city receives from pro airport supporters. Please let me know your
feedback on these items. Note: we need to be prepared to articulate our case and
concerns in the court of public opinion….PAAC/BOS/City Council Meetings, social
media etc. (Feel free to contact me should you want to discuss)
3. Get Noisy Dashboard to be Operational by March 19
A small group of PANN Members have been working with Get Noisy staff to get our data in
a dashboard/user friendly format (unlike the County user unfriendly approach).
We continue to observe consistent flight path deviations, and noise levels significantly
exceeding the 65 decibel State ceiling for acceptable noise.
4. PAAC Meeting Thursday March 19, 6 PM.
County staff is supposed to present Financial and Budget information at this meeting (in
addition to probably seeking PAAC approval for increased AA flights)
We would like to establish a small task group to review the county financial information as
soon as it is available.
Please let me know if you have Accounting and/or Auditing experience and would like
to participate on this Airport Financial Task Force. (we will meet via ZOOM)
As always….many thanks for your efforts and support…..dom
__________________________________________
Palomar Airport: Important Considerations 3/9/26
1.Convenience vs Safety/Health: Negligence/Liability Exposure?
* Airport does not have adequate fire and safety support
* Palomar has been on FAA Hot Spot List since AA flights began
(Large Jets obscure small aircraft on tarmac to Control Tower)
· Risk of crash igniting methane landfill
· Particulate matter and fuel environmental impacts
2. North County Resident Support for Expanded Airport: Questions
• What are Number of Residents Using AA Flights from Palomar
Note: More Passengers Outbound vs Inbound: Not Residents?
• Who Benefits from an Expanded Airport ?:
Aircraft Owners/County Passengers vs Non-Use Residents-
25,000-50,000? vs 1,000,000
3. Financial Benefit of Airport to City of Carlsbad: Further Analysis
• City Projected $3,000,000 annual benefit: How ?
• Highest and Best Use of 250/500 acres:
-At 2 million avg. per acre= 500 million if sold
-Residential/Commercial Use Taxes=more than 3 million per year
• Loss of Residential Property Value=10%-30% dependent on Airport proximity
(Homeowners right to Property Tax Deduction?)
• Reputational/Liability Cost impact if Disaster?
4. County Failure to Honor CUP/Annexation Agreement:
* Joint Powers Alternative: Too Late?
* What will this Carlsbad Area look like in the Future, if Airport Expansion
Proceeds?
