The withdrawal of American Airlines from Bob Hope Airport is more than just another bump in the road for the regional airfield.
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FOR THE RECORD: This editorial incorrectly stated the number of passengers the Bob Hope Airport stands to lose after American Airlines closes operations. It is 292,500. In addition, the editorial failed to make clear that the Glendale-Burbank-Pasadena Airport Authority is the sole governmental body financially responsible for the facility.
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On Feb. 9, the airline that made up 7.5% of Bob Hope’s passenger traffic from January to November 2011 will close shop. That’s roughly 3.9 million people during that 11-month period. Unless another airline steps up to fill the scheduling void, that could mean 3.9 million fewer passengers to use concessions, pay for parking and generate other badly needed revenue for the airport.