Small Airports Becoming No-Fly Zones

"The small-jet market was slammed, first by skyrocketing fuel costs and then by the economic recession. Even before bailout-seeking auto executives were taken to task for flying their company jets from Detroit to Washington, the phrase "private jet" was becoming synonymous with corporate excess. For small cities that do have commercial air service, things look even more uncertain. People have been flying less as the recession has deepened. Airlines are cutting routes to save costs. Other routes have been lost due to airline mergers or bankruptcies — 14 carriers declared bankruptcy last year.

Losing airline service can be devastating to a city. When an airline pulls out, an airport loses revenue from gate fees and landing-rights payments. Peripheral businesses suffer, too: When no passengers are flying out of an airport, then no one is buying sandwiches or newspapers from the airport deli. If private planes stop flying, money dries up for aviation maintenance and repair shops. Other losses are less tangible and more emotional — and probably more important. Cities tend to believe that air service is crucial for attracting new businesses. Plus, airports have long been tied to a sense of community pride. The loss of air service can be a stinging blow to civic ego. Decisions such as the one Rialto made to give up on its airport are rare: Usually, cities will do almost anything to try to keep the landing lights on."