Temporary Midway runway closure could lead to flight delays; experts say abrupt action is a rarity

Travelers can expect some delays and cancellations after the temporary closure of a key Midway International Airport runway for repairs in the coming weeks.

The unusual measure is necessary to fix damage to a safety system on Runway 22-Left, the Chicago Department of Aviation announced late Monday.

Repairs are expected to wrap up in mid-November.

Recent aircraft activity including jet blasts — rapid air movement caused by engine exhaust when departing planes go to full power — had deteriorated the runway’s Engineered Materials Arresting System (EMAS), which is located at the departure end and helps stop overruns.

“Safety is the top priority at Chicago’s airports, and we are working to complete these repairs safely and promptly,” CDA Commissioner Michael McMurray said in a statement.

“Midway travelers just got an ‘October Surprise,’ which will likely create some delays, but I don't expect many cancellations,” said DePaul University Professor Joseph Schwieterman, an aviation analyst.

“Midway normally runs like a clock, with all the parts moving together, but the system will be strained over the next couple weeks,” he added. “So far, the airport has still been running fairly smoothly, but the real test will be when you add bad weather or poor visibility to the mix.”

McMurray said the CDA is coordinating with the Federal Aviation Administration and airlines to reduce disruptions and return Midway to normal operating conditions as quickly and safely as possible.

An EMAS is a bed of crushable material located at the end of a runway, which slows a plane if it overruns. The system was installed at Midway after a jet veered off a runway and onto the street during a snowstorm in December 2005, killing a boy who was a passenger in a car.

The CDA said disruptions will vary based on airline schedules and weather, “particularly wind direction, which affects how the airport’s four-runway network can be used for arrivals and departures,” officials said.

Taking a runway out of service so abruptly is a rarity, noted Schwieterman and aviation expert Tim Kiefer.

“Long-term closures of main runways at airports around the country are common because pavement and other runway infrastructure deteriorate and need repairs,” explained Kiefer, an assistant professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a former air traffic controller at the O’Hare tower and at the Chicago Center in Aurora.

“However, they are normally planned months in advance to allow for all stakeholders to adjust. Emergency repairs are also common but are usually short-term,” he said.

“A closure out of the blue like this, that is this long, is rare, but if it was identified as a significant safety issue, I am not surprised they did not hesitate.”

Kiefer recalled a tile piece of an O’Hare runway’s EMAS breaking off during his tenure but it was a minor occurrence.

With the Midway system, “this make sense that it has deteriorated over time and in need of repairs. But, I would have thought that since the runways are inspected every night, any EMAS defects would have been noticed and this would have been something they could have planned for,” he added.

There was just one cancellation at Midway as of 5 p.m. Tuesday, but 55 flights had experienced delays in the last 24 hours, the CDA reported.

Most flight delays were 15 to 30 minutes, but eight flights were more than 45 minutes.

A Southwest Airlines spokesperson said the carrier engages with CDA and the FAA to minimize flight delays when “unfavorable winds affect runway capacity at Midway.”

“We recommend that customers monitor the status of their flights on the Southwest Airlines app for real-time travel information and to contact the airline if they have questions.”

Kiefer noted if Midway experiences a strong wind out of the northeast, it could limit what aircraft can operate.

“It could add some additional work for controllers as they will not have that runway (22L) for departures while landing Runway 31R and will have to use 31R as a pure ‘in/out’ runway.” he said. “It may require additional space for arrivals at times to allow for departures.”

mpyke@dailyherald.com