New FBO rules threaten JSX Air’s ops at Santa Ana, CA

JSX Air (XE, Dallas Love Field) has warned that it would effectively be “no longer welcome” at Santa Ana, CA airport starting on January 1, 2021, after county authorities altered the terms of leases with two fixed base operators at the airport. In an e-mail to customers, as well as via a social media campaign, the scheduled business jet operator said that “the airport leadership was trying to remove” it from Santa Ana, CA. JSX Air urged its customers and other members of the public to write to the representatives of Orange County to reverse the changes. The Orange County Board of Representatives is due to vote on the changes on September 15. They are scheduled to approve new lease terms with two FBOs, Clay Lacy Aviation and Aviation Consultants d/b/a ACI Jet, for 35 years starting on January 1, 2021. The new terms would prohibit subleasing space in the FBOs’ respective facilities for the provision of scheduled flights. JSX Air currently subleases terminal space from Aviation Consultants. The use of the FBO terminal is critical to the carrier’s business model, which is based on operating scheduled flights using E135 and E145 regional jets in executive configurations with short boarding time. Following the adjustment of the lease terms, the airline would have to relocate to the main passenger terminal at Santa Ana airport, where its boarding time would be significantly extended. Also, passengers would then have to be screened by Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which is an additional burden to the airline since it usually operates from FBO terminals with no TSA presence.