Airlines Orange County

American Airlines would retain its dominance at John Wayne Airport and bargain-based Midway Airlines would become the newest carrier with two flights a day under a complex plan to allocate 18 new daily flights that is expected to receive final approval by the county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday. The additions are part of an airport expansion plan that will permit as many as 33% more flights by noisier aircraft.

United Parcel Service successfully flew a Boeing 757 out of John Wayne Airport Tuesday--without violating noise-abatement standards. The cargo carrier is seeking permission from Orange County officials to begin cargo flights to Kansas City when the new, $50-million John Wayne passenger terminal opens in April, 1990. On Monday, Midway Airline passed the noise tests with a McDonnell Douglas MD-87.

WestAir Commuter Airlines said Thursday that it will add seven flights to its schedule at John Wayne Airport beginning Dec. 1. The new flights will expand its service to Sacramento, Oakland, Fresno and Los Angeles. Fresno-based WestAir, which currently flies 12 daily round-trips from Orange County as United Express, said it added the flights because its annual passenger allocation at John Wayne Airport for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1990, has been boosted 46.6%, to 121,660 from 82,994.

Financially strapped Braniff Airlines Thursday became the second air carrier in two weeks to decide not to begin service out of John Wayne Airport in April, airport officials said. Orlando-based Braniff recently filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors while it seeks to reorganize.

Hearings on the new flight allocation proposal for Orange County's John Wayne Airport, originally set to begin Oct. 4, have been delayed two weeks to give several federal agencies more time to review the complex plan. Jan Mittermeier, assistant airport manager, said officials of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation have not voiced objections to the plan. "They just want more time to study it," she said.

Braniff, Southwest and Midway airlines will join the nine commercial carriers now serving Orange County when the new terminal at John Wayne Airport opens next year, under a new airport access plan unveiled Wednesday. The additional airlines are expected to serve John Wayne as part of a proposal to allocate dozens of new flights that will come on line when the terminal is completed next spring. The total of daily flights could increase from 93 to 150, a 61% increase.