U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and the Federal Aviation Administration announced on Apr. 16 a new measure to limit flight delays and cancellations at Chicago O’Hare International Airport this summer by capping daily operations.
The move aims to address significant congestion issues, as less than 60% of arrivals and departures were on time last summer at O’Hare, which is the busiest airport in the country by flight volume. The FAA will implement a scheduling reduction, limiting daily operations to 2,708 flights from May 17 through Oct. 24, rather than allowing an anticipated peak of over 3,080 flights per day—a nearly 15% increase from last year.
Transportation Secretary Duffy said: “If you book a ticket, we want you and your family to have the certainty that you’ll fly without endless delays and cancellations.” He added that similar measures previously improved on-time performance at Newark Liberty International Airport: “Applying that same strategy at O’Hare – where unrealistic schedules were set to dramatically exceed what they could handle – will reduce delays and make this busy summer travel season a little easier.”
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said: “Our number one priority is the safety of the flying public, and that means ensuring airline schedules reflect what the system can safely handle.” Bedford also acknowledged airlines’ cooperation in reaching an agreement for more responsible scheduling.
The order allocates flight operations among airlines based on their approved summer schedules from last year. Additional steps include increasing air traffic controller staffing levels, improving training speed for controllers, optimizing routes around Chicago’s airspace to minimize bottlenecks, and enhancing communication between airlines and airport officials during high-risk periods.
Ongoing construction projects continue to constrain gate capacity and cause taxiway closures at O’Hare. The FAA says these combined efforts are intended not only to improve reliability but also maintain safety standards for travelers throughout one of the busiest travel seasons.
