May Be Extended To 2008

Citing increased delays if such a restriction wasn't in place, the FAA announced Thursday the agency will likely extend a cap on the number of flights into Chicago's O'Hare airport until October 28. If the agency's preliminary decision stands, it will be the third time the restrictions -- first put into place in August 2004 -- have been extended.

The restriction caps the combined number of domestic airline arrivals to 88 per hour between 7 am and 8 pm, down from more than 120 per hour before the restriction was put into effect.

The FAA says that if the restriction were lifted, congestion-related delays would likely return to O'Hare -- along with the airport's former standing as the most delay-prone of the nation's 31 busiest airports. Agency spokesman Tony Molinaro told the Associated Press that the cap has reduced the number of delayed flights to O'Hare by as much as 30 percent.

Molinaro added the FAA is seeking comments from the airlines, and others, by March 22 -- and that the agency will decide soon thereafter if the restriction will be extended. He also stated the FAA is considering extending the restrictions through April 2008 -- currently, the restriction is subject to renewal every six months.

The FAA will likely not encounter very much resistance from the airlines on renewing the flight cap -- as it's hard to argue that it hasn't served its intended purpose of reducing delays into O'Hare.

Extending the restriction is an "appropriate short-term solution to improving O'Hare's reliability, " United Airlines spokesman Jeff Green said.

When the cap was put into effect, United and American had to cut 37 daily peak-hour flights to O'Hare.

FMI: www.faa.gov