San Bernardino County is expected to take the final action in creating an alliance with the city of Ontario to form a local authority for LA/Ontario International Airport.
During the Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, a multi-jurisdictional Ontario International Airport Authority is expected to be set up should the city of Los Angeles agree to transfer control of the Inland Empire airport.

ONTARIO, Calif. (KABC) -- The city of Ontario may be a step closer to regaining control of Ontario International Airport.

The Ontario City Council on Tuesday signed off on a plan to create an airport authority, which is said to be a key milestone in its quest to dissolve a 1967 agreement with Los Angeles World Airports.

The city of Los Angeles would have to agree to a transfer of the airport's control. If local control is granted, the authority will operate the struggling airport. Ontario Airport has lost about 42 percent of its passenger traffic since 2008.

But beyond that, Romo would not give specific details about the incentives being offered to airlines because they still need to be discussed with the Board of Airport Commissioners, the governing body for Los Angeles World Airports. The agency manages ONT and Los Angeles International Airport.

Just how well it will work remains to be seen.

"I think that's going to depend on whatever our incentive program plan offers," Romo said. "I have reasonable expectations that it will be successful."

A letter was sent to current airlines at ONT notifying them about the program.

The genesis of Ontario Airport dates back to 1923, when a landing field was established east of Central Avenue on land leased from the Union Pacific Railroad. Throughout its storied history, the airport has had many shining moments. In 1974, Ontario was the only Inland airport to host the Concorde supersonic aircraft as it made its promotional around-the-world flights in October of that year. In 1998, the airport's beautiful new terminal complex opened.