AfA slams FAA flight cuts at Chicago O'Hare International Airport
The Airforwarders Association says FAA flight reductions at Chicago O’Hare will disrupt cargo operations, worsen delays, and expose long-standing infrastructure.
The Airforwarders Association (AfA) has criticized the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) decision to reduce hundreds of daily flights at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, saying the move highlights years of underinvestment in airport infrastructure and air traffic management.
The FAA has instructed airlines to limit operations at O’Hare to 2,708 daily flights during the summer season, down from more than 3,000 scheduled peak-day movements, as part of efforts to ease delays and congestion at one of the busiest cargo and passenger hubs in the United States.
Brandon Fried, Executive Director at Airforwarders Association, said, “This is not a surprise, it is the consequence of years of underinvestment in airport infrastructure and a failure to adequately staff the air traffic control system. When demand outpaces what the system can safely handle, the result is disruption, reduced capacity, and higher costs that ripple across the supply chain.”
The AfA said the reduction in flights at a major global gateway would restrict air cargo capacity, lead to further delays, and intensify pressure on already stressed supply chains, particularly for time-sensitive shipments.
The association also repeated its call for an immediate end to the ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown, warning that the situation is reaching a critical stage for aviation security.
More than 780 Transportation Security Administration officers have resigned during the shutdown, and funding for the twice-monthly payroll is expected to be exhausted in early May.
Fried said, “While aviation security remains robust, the longer-term impact of workforce disruption is real. We urgently need a resolution that restores stability, including a sustainable, long-term approach to pay for Transportation Security Administration personnel.”
The AfA has called on federal authorities to take coordinated measures to tackle infrastructure challenges, restore staffing resilience, and ensure policy decisions facilitate rather than restrict the smooth movement of goods.
