O'Hare told to cut summer flights

Federal officials ordered airlines to trim Chicago O’Hare’s summer schedule after deciding the airport cannot safely handle the flights carriers had planned. (federalregister.gov) The Federal Aviation Administration set a cap of 2,708 daily arrivals and departures at O’Hare from May 17 through October 24, 2026. The order says airlines’ published peak-day schedules had climbed above 3,080 daily operations, more than 370 flights over that limit. (federalregister.gov) The agency said it will allocate those operations using airlines’ approved summer 2025 schedules, not the more aggressive summer 2026 filings submitted later. Federal officials said late schedule additions, airport construction and competition between O’Hare’s two largest carriers pushed the airport past its workable capacity. (federalregister.gov) The order follows March 2026 reduction meetings that the Transportation Department requested under federal law to address overscheduling and delays at the airport. The FAA said the cap is meant to keep summer 2026 delays from getting worse than summer 2025. (faa.gov, federalregister.gov) O’Hare is one of the country’s biggest connecting hubs, so delays there can spread through the national air traffic system. In the order, the FAA said last summer’s congestion and construction left only 56% of departures and 58% of arrivals on time. (federalregister.gov, usnews.com) The fight behind the cap has centered on United Airlines and American Airlines, which have both been trying to expand at O’Hare. Reuters reported that the FAA described the surge in schedules as part of “competitive scheduling dynamics” between the airport’s two largest carriers. (usnews.com, federalregister.gov) United said it was reviewing the order and would decide its next steps after that review. American said it supported the move and said the plan preserved “sensible competition” while reducing the risk of disruptions during the summer rush. (usnews.com) The cap is temporary, and the FAA said progress on O’Hare airfield construction could remove the need for limits after October 24. Until then, one of the busiest airports in the United States will run a smaller summer schedule so it can avoid a bigger summer meltdown. (federalregister.gov)