Ontario Airport Board Adopts Strict Travel Caps After Wapner's $185,000 Bill

The Ontario International Airport Authority has implemented stricter spending rules for its board members after a former official billed the agency nearly $185,000 for personal travel. The new bylaws, approved on September 24, cap monthly stipends at $1,000 and limit members to one domestic conference annually and one international conference every other year, each requiring advance approval.

The changes directly address the travel habits of Alan Wapner, who sat on the authority's board until recently. According to records released under the California Public Records Act, Wapner billed the airport authority $184,997 for 72 trips between March 2021 and June 2026. The authority's other four board members combined for a much smaller share of that figure during the same period.

Wapner’s travel included visits to Hong Kong, Rio de Janeiro, Istanbul, and several U.S. destinations, with repeated trips to Hawaii. In January 2023, he charged $8,939.40 for a 17-day conference in Maui, which included a $7,000 rental for a three-bedroom house in Lahaina. His wife accompanied him on several of these journeys, including a trip to Rio de Janeiro in April 2026 that cost $14,325. The board now prohibits using authority funds for spouses' travel.

Board President Ron Loveridge stated that the spending complied with the rules in place at the time but noted that commissioners were unaware of the frequency or cumulative cost of the trips. Loveridge emphasized that the funds came from airport revenue rather than tax dollars. He added that Wapner did not report back to the full board, leaving other members without visibility into the spending.

Wapner defended his actions in an email, stating that his travel was necessary to be effective in his position and that none of the trips were junkets. He argued that the travel provided access to airline executives, concession operators, and federal officials whose decisions impact the airport's growth. However, he also criticized the board for scapegoating him, noting that travel was a budget line item that members could have questioned previously.

The audit revealed that Wapner’s airport bill was 64 times larger than the combined reimbursements for the other four board members. Loveridge received $2,865 for travel over the five-year span, while the other three members did not seek reimbursement. Wapner held seats on five agencies in total, reporting 132 trips and totaling $283,630 in travel expenses across all boards.

The other four agencies paid Wapner a combined $98,632. The City of Ontario accounted for the largest share at $62,855, followed by $17,578 from Omnitrans, $12,574 from the Southern California Association of Governments, and $5,625 from the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority. Catherine Lhamon of UC Berkeley's Edley Center on Law and Democracy commented that personal profit from public service is the definition of corruption.

The travel review coincides with an FBI investigation. Agents searched Wapner's Ontario home on July 28, along with the homes or offices of Supervisor Curt Hagman, attorney Frank Lizarraga, and others tied to businessman James Su. Subpoenas were sent to Ontario International Airport and Ontario City Hall. No charges have been filed against those searched as of Thursday, October 22, though the City Council removed Wapner from all committee appointments, including the airport board.

On October 19, the airport board voted to create an internal auditing program that includes a full-time auditor. This move follows the bylaw changes and aims to provide ongoing oversight of member expenses. Wapner, who has served on the council since 1994, has dropped a planned mayoral run and is seeking another term on the council.