Press Room

Posted on: Tue, 08/25/2020 - 14:32

(Ontario, California – August 26, 2020) – A new episode of the popular PBS program “The Travel Detective with Peter Greenberg” investigates the resurgence of Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT).

Episode 6 of Season 6 will air and stream on PBS stations and websites in the coming weeks. Viewers should check local Public Broadcasting System schedules for air dates and times. (In Southern California it can be viewed on PBS SoCal 2 at 7 p.m. September 15, 2020.)

The segment, reported by Scott McCartney, travel editor and “The Middle Seat” columnist for The Wall Street Journal, explores the importance of secondary airports and ONT’s rise as a preferred regional airport in the metropolitan Los Angeles region since its transfer from the City of Los Angeles to local control under the Ontario International Airport Authority.

“Ours is a powerful story of perseverance and resurgence since the ownership change less than four years ago,” said Mark Thorpe, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority. “Ontario Airport’s comeback as an international aviation gateway for Southern California is a testament to all who believed it could again be an attractive low-cost alternative for airlines and an economic engine for the Inland Empire, while delivering a first-rate, hassle-free experience for customers.

Thorpe noted that although the episode was produced in the weeks leading up to the onset of the global coronavirus pandemic, it is particularly timely given the recent resumption of commercial air service from ONT to popular destinations including Atlanta, Chicago and Houston along with the forthcoming launch of new international service to Mexico City. As such, the Travel Detective episode notes, it can serve as a case study for other second airports across the U.S.

Greenberg, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and host of the program, is the CBS News Travel Editor. He appears regularly on CBS programs including “CBS This Morning” and the “CBS Evening News.” His website is a leading travel news resource for consumers and industry insiders alike.

Ontario was the fastest-growing airport in 2019, the second straight year it achieved the honor, with more than 5.5 million airline passengers.

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About Ontario International Airport 

Ontario International Airport (ONT) is the fastest growing airport in the United States, according to Global Traveler, a leading publication for frequent fliers. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport which, before the coronavirus pandemic, offered nonstop commercial jet service to 26 major airports in the U.S., Mexico and Taiwan. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com. Follow @flyONT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram   

About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA)

The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area. OIAA Commissioners are Ontario City Council Member Alan D. Wapner (President), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Commissioner) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner).