|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FAA Statement - Update on Chicago Air Traffic Facility The Federal Aviation Administration brought in a clean-up crew at the Chicago En Route Center in Aurora, IL early this morning to begin drying out water-damaged equipment and to clean and sanitize the area after a fire and attempted suicide in the telecommunications room yesterday. During that clean-up, technicians also are completing a thorough damage assessment and timeline for restoration of services. The FAA's Command Center in Warrenton, VA is working closely with the airlines that serve the Chicago-area airports to minimize disruptions for travelers and maximize the number of flights arriving and departing at those airports. The FAA handled 40 percent of the normal daily traffic at O'Hare yesterday and 30 percent at Midway, and expects to continue to increase the traffic flow at those two airports over the weekend. The FAA is using all the tools at its disposal to safely restore as much service as quickly as possible. FAA air traffic controllers who would normally work at Chicago Center are now assisting at the Chicago Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) in Elgin, IL and other air traffic facilities to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic. The FAA is managing the air traffic flows in and out of Chicago through other large TRACON facilities in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin with additional help from high-altitude centers in Minnesota, Kansas, Indiana and Ohio. ###
|
