Crain’s Chicago Business | Chef Rick Bayless has opened his Frontera sandwich shop at O’Hare; a second Frontera offshoot is coming there soon.
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United, American suing O’Hare expansion
A passenger plane takes off at O'Hare as work continues in foreground on the runway expansion project. (Chris Walker/Chicago Tribune)
United and American Airlines on Tuesday made good on their threat to sue Chicago to stop the city from issuing bonds to finance the remainder of the expansion project at O’Hare International Airport.
The airlines, which say they cannot afford to help pay for new runways that will not be needed for years, filed the lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court just days after sending a letter on Friday to Mayor Richard Daley, asking for negotiations on the future of the O’Hare Modernization Program. The letter said the expansion must proceed based on future increases in flights. Get the full story »
No long tarmac delays in Nov., airlines report
The were no airplanes stuck on the ground for more than three hours in November — the second straight month airlines avoided long delays, the government said Tuesday.
That’s little comfort to travelers stranded by huge snow storms that grounded thousands of flights in December. The Department of Transportation won’t report those statistics until next month. Get the full story »
Moody’s downgrades outlook for O’Hare revenue bonds
By Jon Hilkevitch | A major credit rating firm delivered a stern warning Monday regarding the mounting risks that Chicago is taking by going deeper into debt in an attempt to build more runways at O’Hare International Airport without securing financial support from the airlines.
Moody’s Investors Service downgraded to a “negative” outlook from “stable” some of the revenue bonds that the Chicago Department of Aviation has issued to help pay for the $15 billion O’Hare Modernization Program and related projects.
Moody’s cited concern about the city’s latest gambit to postpone repayment of all interest on some construction bonds until at least 2018, resulting in much larger payments over the long run. The airlines and their customers would eventually be stuck paying for the increased borrowing costs through higher landing fees and higher airfares. Get the full story »
December storms cost United $25 million
December snowstorms that crippled air travel in Europe and along the Atlantic seaboard in the U.S. cost the parent company of United Airlines $25 million in consolidated passenger revenue, and will reduce fourth-quarter earnings by $10 million, the carrier said Friday.
Continental Airlines, which along with United is a subsidiary of United Continental Holdings Inc., was hit hard by the Boxing Day blizzards that brought operations to a halt at its hub at Newark Liberty International Airport and other greater New York area airports. More than 5,000 flights were canceled over a three-day stretch, stranding at least 750,000 travelers. Get the full story »
American still talking to Orbitz about listings
American Airlines says it’s talking to Orbitz and Expedia about resuming the listing of American flights on the travel websites. Get the full story »
Orbitz shares drop after American tickets pulled
The shares of online travel agencies Orbitz and Expedia fell on Monday after Expedia dropped American Airlines tickets from its offerings.
Expedia called its weekend action a response to the airline’s new “anti-consumer” and “anti-choice” commercial strategy.
Expedia shares fell 3 percent to $24.32 in midmorning trading while Orbitz shares slid 0.7 percent to $5.55. Get the full story »
American says sales not hurt by Orbitz dispute
American Airlines said on Wednesday that it has no plans to sell tickets only through its own website, as its dispute with Orbitz and Expedia entered a second week.
The airline said December ticket volumes before the dispute began were rising compared to the same time last year. It said the increase has continued since then. The improving economy has boosted ticket sales at most airlines.
East Coast weather grounds flights in Chicago
A blizzard blanketing the East Coast this weekend has left thousands of fliers stranded at various airports across the country, including some at O’Hare International and Midway airports this morning.
As of 7:35 a.m., 130 flights at O’Hare had been canceled due to the East Coast weather, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation. At Midway, there were 20 flight cancellations.
Today’s cancellations came on top of the 150 flights grounded yesterday at the two airports.
JFK expected to reopen by 6 p.m. Eastern time
A reopening time for two of New York area’s three main airports is unknown as of noon, but JFK is expected to reopen at 6 p.m. EST, according to the Federal Aviation Authority’s Web site.
Early Monday the FAA said it anticipated a reopening for the three airports at 4 p.m. EST, but by mid-morning had left the openings in limbo.
La Guardia, John F. Kennedy International and Newark International, in Newark, N.J. have remained closed due to ice and snow.
Expedia hides American flights in support of Orbitz
Expedia is hiding pricing information for American Airlines flights on its Web sites in a display of solidarity with Chicago-based Orbitz Worldwide Inc., which is enmeshed in a contract dispute with the nation’s #3 carrier.
The online travel giants are warring with American over the airline’s attempts take greater control of the way it sells tickets and other services.
The new contract terms the Texas-based carrier seeks would drive down its costs and impose new technology on agencies like Orbitz and Expedia and the global clearinghouses that provide the ticket data they peddle over the Internet, analysts said. Get the full story »
O’Hare, Midway to wrap, jam on busy travel day
Nearly 1.8 million passengers are expected to travel through Chicago’s airports during the Christmas holiday week.
Airlines are projecting that Thursday will be the busiest travel day at both O’Hare and Midway international airports, with nearly 190,000 passengers are expected at O’Hare and nearly 63,000 passengers at Midway.
Both airports are featuring live blues and jazz performances from 2 to 5 p.m. Get the full story »
Continental, AMR’s Eagle face $605,000 in fines
From Bloomberg News | Continental Airlines and AMR Corp.’s American Eagle regional carrier face a combined $605,000 in possible fines for maintenance flaws, the FAA said.
