Kirk Tags Into O'Hare Expansion Fight
By Prescott Carlson in News on Jan 15, 2011 10:00PM
Photo by Duane Rapp
"The next set of meetings I'll have is with the airlines," Kirk said. "We're in a difficult relationship, I understand, with American -- better with United. I think Senator Durbin and I want to rebuild that partnership to make sure we're growing."
Despite clearing away a large swath of Bensenville homes, the runway expansion is far from completed but Daley remains "very confident," reportedly saying, "This is important 'cause we're not building runways for the airlines today. We're building runways for passengers so there are no delays in bad weather or anything like that."
Those airlines Daley isn't expanding O'Hare for would be on the hook for $100 million of a $1 billion bond issue, an amount they feel may be too much given the "recent and rapid adverse changes in the commercial aviation industry."