Passenger Trains > United Airlines reduces Chicago operations

Not a complete shutdown, but they are only running about 11 departures an hour (that is a significant reduction, but I don't know what the normal rate is...I would expect this is well over half).  Schedule is pretty much limited to international flights and hub-to-hub flights using larger aircraft.  Reasons given include concern for employee wellness and potential for freeze damage to aircraft and equipment.  Employees were also flown in from other hubs to assist with ground operations and allow for shorter outside times for the employees who must work outdoors in this historically frigid weather.
 

American has also canx most of there flights today including all to st louis and minneapolis as well as most 200 to 400 mile flights

Southwest also cut many (700?) flights out of Midway.

Chicago is a mess but I understand Bloomington is near normal.

i would think that the demand for air travel is most likely at an all time high.  with the danger "no lift" due to ice on an aircraft's wings and the possible long wait times for "de-icing," i can see why some flights were cancelled........

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Actually, de-icing is no issue in Chicago right now.  Short of a heavy overnight frost, the only time it really comes into play is when precipitation is falling.  That is when you have to do a "two-step" deice-- the first uses glycol to clear the ice from the wings and flight control surfaces, then the second step is a thicker fluid which keeps frozen precipitation from adhering to the wing, and is only good for a certain amount of time dependent on the type of precipitation falling.  That is known as "holdover time."

All we're dealing with in Chicago right now is just bitter cold.  Short of some possible deicing of frost-covered first flights of the day, the deice crews aren't doing much right now at ORD.
 

interesting info regarding the "de-icing."  thanks...........

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Alco251 Wrote:
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> Chicago is a mess but I understand Bloomington is
> near normal.

I see what you did there...

Posted from iPhone

When they cancell a lot of ORD flights, do they add extra flights, say, Newark-Denver? Then they could rebook some folk who previously had connections through Chicago.

Yes, hub-to-hub extra sections are not at all uncommon in situations such as these to clear out stranded passengers.  As long as you have a crew and a plane, that is.

ShortlinesUSA Wrote:
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> Yes, hub-to-hub extra sections are not at all
> uncommon in situations such as these to clear out
> stranded passengers.  As long as you have a crew
> and a plane, that is.

Also substitituting larger planes for regular hub to hub flights, e.g. a 777 or 787 instead of of a smaller plane.

Alco251 Wrote:
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> Chicago is a mess but I understand Bloomington is
> near normal.
Oh, I get it.  Clever.