Commercial Fixed Wing
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; No Specific Anomaly Occurred Unwanted Situation
General None Reported / Taken
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Airport; Airspace Structure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
We had no operational issues whatsoever. This debrief is simply an observation. The SNA Tower closed for COVID exposure and SNA has become an uncontrolled field. The flight experience of the GA traffic that saturates that airspace is typically very beginner level and a Control Tower is essential. Uncontrolled field operations were nothing short of chaotic at that airport; and I really do see a potential for an accident to occur. Simply put; the pilots that are operating at that airport don't have the experience they need to merge with airline operations. The radio was saturated; there was confusion of who's going to take the runway next; a twin engine airplane decided to do a 360 to provide spacing while a commercial aircraft was 4 miles behind them on final.  A small aircraft almost took the runway with an aircraft on short final. I saw another small aircraft make left traffic for [Runway] 20R when the traffic pattern is only right.  In my professional opinion; I suggest that SNA be only an IFR only operation only during non-towered operations.  The amount of threats at that field are countless. Every pilot has to start somewhere and I'm sensitive to that; but a new small aircraft pilot practicing landings; turning an early base while an air carrier is on final (hypothetical example; that didn't happen); has no business in such a busy environment without a Tower Controller there to mitigate risk.Again; there was no event. This is an observation. Lack of traffic management is the factor in a potential disaster.If there is to be no tower at SNA; it needs to be commercial or IFR only operations.
Air carrier First Officer reported flying into an airport with the Tower closed due to COVID-19 and described the associated issues flying in the same environment with inexperienced general aviation pilots.