Chicago Air Travel Delays, Cancellations Continue

Efforts are underway to repair the flight control center in Chicago as thousands of passengers continue to see delays and cancellations at the nation’s second busiest airport.

Flight delays continued in Chicago on Monday as FAA officials worked to restore facilities at the aviation control center in Aurora, Illinois.

Known officially as the Chicago En Route Center, the facility manages air traffic for both O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Midway International Airport (MDW). CNBC reported that all flights were grounded at both airports on Friday after Brian Howard, a contract employee at the facility, allegedly set the control center on fire before attempting to commit suicide.

According to a report from the Chicago Tribune, the control center was rendered unable to communicate with the ORD control tower or send other control centers the airlines’ automated flight plans, forcing the plans to be faxed directly to ORD.

Doug Church, a spokesman for the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), told the Tribune that the situation requires “two controllers to staff every position at the main O’Hare tower, and the closing of the auxiliary north tower at the airport.”

CNN reports that the FAA told the media it was managing the air traffic into and out of Chicago “through other large Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facilities in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, with additional help from high-altitude centers in Minnesota, Kansas, Indiana and Ohio.”

ORD was operating at 60 percent of its capacity on Monday, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation, as reported by CNN, with MDW operating at 75 percent. At least 300 flights were cancelled on Monday.

FAA officials told CNN that the agency is bringing in extra technicians to replace the damaged communications network in the building. “Teams will be working around the clock to install equipment, run cable and restore network connections at the facility,” CNN reported.

In a USA Today report, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said he expects the Chicago facility to be “fully resorted” by October 13. In the meantime, Huerta has ordered a 30-day review of safety and security at agency facilities.

Howard, who remains hospitalized, has been charged with one count of destruction of aircraft or aircraft facilities. He faces up to 20 years if convicted of the felony charge, according to various news sources.

[Photo: iStock]