JSX launches passenger service out of the Santa Monica Airport today, marking a new chapter for the facility despite a resident lawsuit challenging the commercial service.
The Dallas-based carrier will operate 30-seat ATR 42-600 turboprop aircraft on daily flights under a three-year lease and commercial operations permit approved by the city in October. JSX markets itself as a "hop-on" public charter airline offering streamlined check-in procedures and currently serves roughly 29 airports across the United States and Mexico.
The company's initial plans call for at least six departures per day from Santa Monica Airport, with potential expansion to nine daily flights. JSX said more than 2,200 Santa Monica residents already use its service from other regional airports, accounting for over 14,000 trips in recent years.
The service represents what some residents characterize as a significant shift for Santa Monica Airport, which has historically operated as a general aviation facility serving flight training and charter services rather than scheduled passenger flights.
City officials approved JSX's commercial operations permit and lease in October following what they described as a rigorous technical and legal review covering safety, environmental, traffic and policy considerations. The Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Department of Transportation have certified JSX to operate its 30-seat aircraft safely at the airport.
The city determined no new environmental review was required under the California Environmental Quality Act, concluding the permit does not represent a new project or an expansion of existing use. Officials said the approval was exempt from CEQA on three grounds: that it was a ministerial action, the "common sense" exemption, and a categorical exemption for negligible expansion of existing facilities.
City Manager Oliver Chi said the approval aligns with a 2017 federal consent decree with the FAA requiring Santa Monica to keep the airport open through Dec. 31, 2028, while allowing qualifying aeronautical users to operate under limited-term leases. The JSX lease runs through Nov. 30, 2028, one month before the city could close the airport.
City officials said federal law and the consent decree prohibit Santa Monica from denying airport access to qualified aeronautical users who meet established standards. JSX must comply with all airport operational restrictions, including hours of operation, noise limits and environmental standards, with city staff monitoring compliance throughout the lease term.
However, Santa Monica residents and advocacy group Measure LC Defense filed a lawsuit in November challenging the approval. The plaintiffs, including residents Alan Levenson and Zina Josephs, allege the city improperly relied on exemptions under CEQA instead of conducting a comprehensive environmental review.
The lawsuit contends JSX's operations could increase jet fuel use from approximately 30,000 gallons to 66,000 gallons per month at the airport. Plaintiffs argue the flights could create new impacts on noise, air quality, traffic, safety and emergency response in surrounding neighborhoods.
The lawsuit disputes the city's CEQA exemption claims. Plaintiffs argue the municipal code expressly authorizes the city manager to exercise discretion in denying or conditioning commercial operations permits to address safety, economic viability or environmental concerns.
The petition also notes that Santa Monica Airport lacks the aircraft rescue and firefighting capacity required at certificated airports, and that its runway protection zones are 750 feet rather than the FAA standard of 1,000 feet, with residences located within areas that should be part of such zones.
Petitioners are seeking a writ of mandate requiring the city to rescind JSX's permit until a full environmental review is completed, along with injunctive relief preventing JSX from operating until the city complies with environmental review requirements.
Founded in 2016, JSX operates a fleet of 50 Embraer jets and two ATR 42-600 turboprops. The company's CEO, Alex Wilcox, has described Santa Monica Airport as "a natural gateway" to extend JSX's regional air travel service to local residents.