Ontario Travel Costs: New Caps Follow $184,997 Bill

The Ontario International Airport Authority implemented new spending rules on Monday, October 19, following the release of travel records. The board voted to hire a full-time internal auditor to oversee future expenditures.

This move follows the Sept. 24 approval of bylaw changes that cap monthly stipends at $1,000. The new rules limit members to one domestic conference annually and one international conference every other year. Spouses can no longer be reimbursed for travel costs.

These changes come after California Public Records Act documents revealed that Councilman Alan Wapner billed the authority $184,997 for 72 trips between March 2021 and June 2026. Wapner served on the board until recently. The figure is 64 times higher than what the other four board members combined received in the same period.

Board president Ron Loveridge stated that the spending complied with rules in place at the time. He noted that commissioners were unaware of the trips because Wapner did not report back to the full board. Loveridge added that the funds came from airport revenue, not tax dollars.

Wapner’s travel included destinations such as Hong Kong, Rio de Janeiro, the Bahamas, Istanbul, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Madrid. He made repeated visits to Hawaii. In January 2023, he claimed $8,939.40 for a 17-day conference in Maui. This included a $7,000 rental of a three-bedroom house in Lahaina.

His wife accompanied him on several trips, including to Rio de Janeiro in April 2026. That journey cost $14,325. A September 2025 trip to Hong Kong cost $12,701, with airfare alone totaling $7,437.

Wapner defended the expenses in an email, stating that his travel was necessary for him to be effective in his position. He said the trips provided access to airline executives, concession operators, and federal officials. He denied that any trip was a junket.

Across five agencies where he held seats, Wapner reported 132 trips over five years. The agencies spent a combined $283,630 on his travel. The City of Ontario paid $62,855, Omnitrans paid $17,578, the Southern California Association of Governments paid $12,574, and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority paid $5,625.

The City Council removed Wapner from all committee appointments, including the airport board, after the FBI searched his home on July 28. Agents also searched the homes or offices of Supervisor Curt Hagman, attorney Frank Lizarraga, and others tied to businessman James Su. As of Thursday, October 22, no charges are known to have been filed. Wapner has dropped a planned mayoral run and is seeking another term on the council, where he has served since 1994.