Carlsbad joins airport group’s lawsuit against the county

The city of Carlsbad has been granted permission to join a lawsuit initiated by Citizens for a Friendly Airport against the San Diego County Board of Supervisors regarding a lease agreement with American Airlines at McClellan-Palomar Airport. The lawsuit challenges the county's decision to approve the lease, arguing that it violates the California Environmental Quality Act due to potential noise and air pollution issues. The citizens group also contends that the lease permits American Airlines to exceed the airport's policy limiting aircraft size to a maximum of 70 seats. Carlsbad's involvement underscores the city's concerns about the airport's operations and their impact on the community.

Attorneys representing San Diego County and American Airlines had opposed Carlsbad's participation, asserting that the conditional-use permit is unrelated to the lease that enabled American Airlines to resume daily service in Carlsbad earlier this year. However, the judge sided with Carlsbad, acknowledging the city's direct interest in the airport's operations and their potential effects on its residents. The lawsuit also revisits a prior legal challenge from the citizens group regarding the airport's master plan, which was initially deemed invalid due to non-compliance with the Environmental Quality Act.

American Airlines previously operated American Eagle service from Carlsbad to Los Angeles from 1991 to 1997. United Airlines has also announced plans to return to McClellan-Palomar Airport, with daily flights to Denver and San Francisco slated to begin in March. United previously provided regular service on its United Express flights between Carlsbad and Los Angeles from 1996 to 2016. The legal challenge highlights ongoing tensions between airport expansion and community concerns regarding environmental impact and operational policies.