‘Thrilled’ and ‘challenging:’ Airlines, Chicago good on O’Hare redo — for now
Friendly skies are projected over O’Hare International Airport after the city and two major airlines resolved friction over a massive expansion.
United and American Airlines have raised concerns about delays and costs of the rebuild, which entails a new Global Terminal replacing Terminal 2, and two satellite concourses.
But on Friday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced the city “is thrilled to announce the acceptance of its proposal by airline partners to proceed with the Terminal Area Program to modernize O’Hare International Airport.”
“We look forward to prioritizing the O'Hare Global Terminal to bring benefits to the traveling public sooner, while providing thousands of jobs and contracting opportunities to Chicago,” Johnson said.
The city originally intended to build the concourses first and Global Terminal later but changed course after airline objections.
“We are pleased that Mayor Johnson and his aviation department have put forth a phasing plan that will ensure that TAP funds are first spent on the mission-critical portions of the program — the O’Hare Global Terminal and Satellite 1,” United officials stated.
“The Global Terminal has always been the centerpiece of this program and the crucial piece needed to ensure Chicago maintains its status as a global hub. Under this new phasing plan, we can deliver the most impactful elements of the modernization project the quickest.”
The agreement would allow the Chicago Department of Aviation to move ahead with building Satellite Concourse 1 and a phased construction of the Global Terminal.
Satellite Concourse 2 and a tunnel connecting both concourses would be constructed next.
“We are pleased to support the city’s proposal to move forward with the Terminal Area Plan ... in a way that protects the competitiveness of O’Hare, and we look forward to enhancing the travel experience for our customers, improving the efficiency of our operation and creating thousands of jobs for Chicagoans,“ American Airlines said in a statement.
But “the path ahead will be challenging, and we’ll all need to continue working together to get this project completed within the allotted budget,” officials said.
Illinois’ two senators also got involved in the issue.
“After months of volleying counteroffers and facing deadlock, we are relieved that the city of Chicago and the airlines have finally come to an agreement about the future” of the project, Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Hoffman Estates said Friday in a statement.