radarlove
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The head of the Federal Aviation Administration's call for a new airport for Chicago is being seconded by Gary/Chicago International Airport officials who say they want it to be theirs.
"It shows our vision is accurate," said Airport Director Chris Curry. "And that vision is to build the airport to handle the influx of passengers and airplanes that will be coming to the Chicago area."
In addition, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has been showing renewed interest in Gary's expansion.
In July, Daley, Curry, former Boeing CEO Phil Condit and former Southwest Airlines CEO Herb Kelleher met at Daley's offices to "kick around ideas for the airport," Curry said.
He would not give details of what was discussed but said it was in line with developing Gary as a passenger and cargo port, as described in its FAA-approved master plan.
The City of Chicago helps fund the Gary airport with about $2.5 million in passenger fees collected at Chicago airports.
The Gary airport is currently undergoing a $90 million expansion that also is partially funded by the City of Chicago.
A new Chicago airport or a vast expansion of one of the city's existing airports will be necessary to keep pace with booming demand for air travel in the coming decades, Robert Sturgell, the FAA's acting administrator, said Wednesday.
That's in addition to an ongoing $15 billion expansion of O'Hare International Airport, Sturgell said.
Despite a drop in flights this year as high fuel prices cut into airline profits, the number of air travelers could double to 1 billion annually over the next decade, Sturgell said. And since newer, streamlined planes will carry fewer passengers, the total number of planes flying in and out of airports could increase at an even faster rate, he said.
Chicago plays too vital a role as an aviation hub not to further upgrade airport capacity, Sturgell said, adding that he appreciated the fierce resistance such projects can generate.
"It takes a lot of local political will to move new runways and airports forward," he said in a telephone interview from Washington, D.C.
In a 2007 report, the FAA noted that just two major airports have opened in the last 40 years -- Dallas- Fort Worth and Denver International. As many as four would have to be built over the next 20 to 30 years to meet projected demand, Sturgell said.
"It shows our vision is accurate," said Airport Director Chris Curry. "And that vision is to build the airport to handle the influx of passengers and airplanes that will be coming to the Chicago area."
In addition, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has been showing renewed interest in Gary's expansion.
In July, Daley, Curry, former Boeing CEO Phil Condit and former Southwest Airlines CEO Herb Kelleher met at Daley's offices to "kick around ideas for the airport," Curry said.
He would not give details of what was discussed but said it was in line with developing Gary as a passenger and cargo port, as described in its FAA-approved master plan.
The City of Chicago helps fund the Gary airport with about $2.5 million in passenger fees collected at Chicago airports.
The Gary airport is currently undergoing a $90 million expansion that also is partially funded by the City of Chicago.
A new Chicago airport or a vast expansion of one of the city's existing airports will be necessary to keep pace with booming demand for air travel in the coming decades, Robert Sturgell, the FAA's acting administrator, said Wednesday.
That's in addition to an ongoing $15 billion expansion of O'Hare International Airport, Sturgell said.
Despite a drop in flights this year as high fuel prices cut into airline profits, the number of air travelers could double to 1 billion annually over the next decade, Sturgell said. And since newer, streamlined planes will carry fewer passengers, the total number of planes flying in and out of airports could increase at an even faster rate, he said.
Chicago plays too vital a role as an aviation hub not to further upgrade airport capacity, Sturgell said, adding that he appreciated the fierce resistance such projects can generate.
"It takes a lot of local political will to move new runways and airports forward," he said in a telephone interview from Washington, D.C.
In a 2007 report, the FAA noted that just two major airports have opened in the last 40 years -- Dallas- Fort Worth and Denver International. As many as four would have to be built over the next 20 to 30 years to meet projected demand, Sturgell said.