United Airlines CEO says company may focus on other cities after O'Hare flight cap
The CEO of United Airlines said the company may look to grow in other cities if federal regulators keep limiting flights at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
The comments came on an earnings call Wednesday and follow the Federal Aviation Administration's order to cut summer schedules at O'Hare by around 12%.
The FAA is restricting O'Hare to 2,708 flights per day from May 17 to Oct. 24. A total of 3,080 flights were currently scheduled at O'Hare for peak summer days in 2026. The agency said it's taking these steps to help improve safety and efficiency at the airport. They are also bringing in more air traffic controllers, speeding up air traffic controller training and increasing communication between themselves, the airport and airlines during possible high-risk periods.
Right now, O'Hare is seeing a jump in traffic with a record number of travelers last year, reclaiming its spot as the busiest airport in the world.