Airports
O’Hare restrictions suppress independence
Independence Air’s designs on developing a Midwestern outpost for new discount-fare flights could suffer a serious blow if regulators follow through with p

Independence Air’s designs on developing a Midwestern outpost for new discount-fare flights could suffer a serious blow if regulators follow through with proposed new slot restrictions at Chicago O’Hare Airport. During a meeting last month in Washington with executives from 16 passenger and cargo airlines, DOT Secretary Norman Mineta promised to “do something about this [congestion] problem right here and now,” whether or not all the airlines volunteered to cut flight frequencies during peak hours.

During last month’s meetings FAA Administrator Marion Blakey asked the carriers to cut more than 60 flights, limit arrivals to a maximum of 86 landings per hour between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. and shift some flights to less busy periods.

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