Why San Diego International Airport cannot meet the region's future needs
Insufficient runway length and terrain constraints
Lindbergh Field has only one runway (whereas Oakland and Tampa, mentioned previously, have three), which is 9,400 feet in length, only 7,600 feet of which is fully usable due to terrain and obstruction issues. The current runway cannot handle larger aircraft flying nonstop to intercontinental destinations fully loaded with passengers and cargo.
Even a smaller Boeing 767-400ER with 245 passengers and 40,000 pounds of cargo can only fly nonstop as far as Hawaii or Boston, half of its maximum range. Reduced payloads and/or inability to employ a diverse fleet mix impact airlines' profitability.
Data provided by the SDCRAA Marketing and Communications Division, along with information from the Airport Site Selection Program.
