Chicago summer travel outlook 'bleak'
Local analysis says Chicago's summer travel outlook looks bleak, citing flight cuts, rising fares and expected TSA delays. (Axios Chicago reports that capacity reductions and operational strain may push prices and delays higher this summer.) (axios.com)
Chicago fliers should expect a tougher summer at O’Hare, with fewer flights on sale and a higher risk of delays. (axios.com) The Federal Aviation Administration said airlines scheduled more than 3,080 daily takeoffs and landings at O’Hare on peak summer days, up from 2,680 last summer. The agency said that level would strain runways, terminals and air traffic control, and it proposed a 2,800-flight daily limit for the March 29 to October 25 summer season. (cnbc.com) In March, the Federal Aviation Administration floated an even lower target of about 2,600 daily operations at O’Hare. National Public Radio reported the cuts followed a rapid buildup by United Airlines and American Airlines, which each added flights as they fought for market share and gates. (nprillinois.org) United planned about 780 daily flights from O’Hare this month, up from an average of 541 a day last year. American said its summer schedule would rise to 526 daily departures from 484 last summer after adding 100 daily departures to more than 75 destinations for spring travel. (cnbc.com) That fight is unusually concentrated in Chicago because O’Hare is a hub for both carriers. DePaul University transportation professor Joe Schwieterman told National Public Radio that no other airport has two global hub operators “side by side,” and he said daily operations were on track to top 3,000 this summer before regulators stepped in. (nprillinois.org) Gate rules helped fuel the buildup. ABC 7 Chicago reported that O’Hare allocates gates partly by an airline’s prior-year flight frequency, creating an incentive to add more departures to secure more terminal space. (abc7chicago.com) The likely result for travelers is a smaller pool of seats during the busiest vacation months, which can push fares higher even before weather hits the system. Axios Chicago reported that rising fuel costs, Federal Aviation Administration limits and security concerns are all squeezing summer travel after a rocky spring. (axios.com) Security lines are a second pressure point. The Chicago Department of Aviation’s live delay page showed O’Hare at 94.2% on time over the prior 24 hours when checked on April 14, with 145 delayed flights and 19 cancellations, while Axios reported travelers should also brace for Transportation Security Administration delays this summer. (flychicago.com) (axios.com) Chicago airports have not consistently seen the two- to four-hour security lines reported elsewhere during the federal funding standoff. CBS Chicago reported on March 27 that many O’Hare travelers were still seeing short lines, even as staffing worries persisted nationally. (cbsnews.com) The summer test now is whether cutting flights early can keep O’Hare from seizing up in July. Federal regulators are trying to trade some schedule growth for fewer cascading delays at one of the country’s busiest airports. (nprillinois.org)
