Anywhere you fly in America, your chance of arriving on time has much to do with what’s happening at O’Hare.
Persistent delays at O’Hare have a cascading effect through the nation’s air system. So federal officials now are warning that they will fix the problem at the airport if the airlines do not.
“As Chicago goes, so goes the system,” Marion Blakey, head of the Federal Aviation Administration, said Wednesday. “We will have to take action unilaterally if we can’t come to an agreement.”
Blakey summoned executives from every major domestic airline to FAA headquarters in an effort to jawbone them into agreeing to reduce their O’Hare schedules.
O’Hare, which handles cargo and passenger traffic, has more takeoffs and landings each year than any other airport in the world.
On an average weekday this summer, just under 3,000 planes are taking off and landing at O’Hare.
During the first six months of this year, there were 490,987 flights arriving at and departing the airport.
About two-thirds of arrivals are on time this year, compared with the 82 percent systemwide goal the FAA sets.
“If it weren’t for O’Hare, we’d be making that goal,” Blakey said.
Air Transport Association spokesman Jack Evans said more planes have been a boon for consumers.
“People are getting an incredible value,” said Evans, whose group represents major airlines.
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Compiled from news services.
