The City of Santa Monica has approved a commercial operations permit and three-year lease agreement for JSX to operate scheduled passenger air service at Santa Monica Airport through Nov. 30, 2028, following what officials described as a rigorous technical and legal review.
The decision included an affirmation of the city's commitment to permanently close the airport at midnight on Dec. 31, 2028, as authorized under a 2017 Federal Consent Decree with the Federal Aviation Administration. City officials said compliance with that agreement safeguards Santa Monica's legal right to close the airport on schedule while ensuring current operations comply with federal and local standards.
"All Santa Monica Airport leases will expire, or be terminated by the City, before the closure date," City Manager Oliver Chi said. "By adhering to the Consent Decree today, we are safeguarding the City's ability to close the airport on Dec. 31, 2028."
In evaluating the JSX proposal, city staff and legal counsel conducted a multi-disciplinary assessment covering safety, environmental, traffic and policy considerations.
JSX is federally certified by the FAA and U.S. Department of Transportation to operate its 30-seat ATR 42-600 aircraft safely at the airport.
The city determined no new environmental review was required under the California Environmental Quality Act, as the permit does not represent a new project or an expansion of existing use.
City officials said federal law and the 2017 Federal Consent Decree prohibit Santa Monica from denying airport access to qualified aeronautical users who meet established standards. The city's review confirmed that JSX's proposal is consistent with the city's Airport Leasing and Licensing Policy and its Minimum Standards for Commercial Aeronautical Services.
JSX must comply with all airport operational restrictions, including hours of operation, noise limits and environmental standards. City staff will continue monitoring compliance throughout the lease term and provide regular public updates.
The Dallas-based company submitted its application in September, proposing to launch daily flights in 2025 using the ATR 42-600, a fuel-efficient turboprop aircraft designed with advanced noise-reduction technology. JSX markets itself as a hop-on public charter service that bridges the gap between commercial airlines and private jets.
"JSX has reimagined regional air travel with comfort, reliability, and accessibility at its core, and we see Santa Monica Airport as a natural gateway to extend that experience to local residents," said Alex Wilcox, JSX's chief executive officer.
The company said more than 2,200 Santa Monica residents have already flown JSX from other regional airports, taking more than 14,000 trips in recent years. Founded in 2016, JSX operates 29 airports across the United States and Mexico with a fleet of 50 Embraer jets and two ATR 42-600 turboprops.
However, the approval has drawn a legal challenge from residents who filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court recently.
The petitioners argue the city improperly relied on exemptions to avoid conducting a comprehensive environmental review before approving what they characterize as a significant departure from current airport operations. They contend that Santa Monica Airport has never included daily scheduled passenger air service, operating instead as a general aviation facility serving flight training and charter services.
The lawsuit identifies multiple environmental concerns that petitioners argue should have been analyzed, including aircraft noise and frequency, fuel delivery and storage, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, traffic, ground access, safety, and emergency and fire response.
Petitioners are seeking a writ of mandate commanding the city to rescind approval of the permit for failure to comply with CEQA, along with injunctive relief preventing JSX from operating until the city has fully complied with environmental review requirements.