Flights at O’Hare and Midway continued to be delayed and canceled Sunday, following Friday’s evacuation of the FAA’s Chicago En Route Center in Aurora.

Media sources said that as of Sunday morning, 550 flights were cancelled at O’Hare with delays averaging around 30 minutes. Authorities say flights are getting back to normal but travelers could see delays Monday. You can check the FAA website for additional information, but the FAA encourages travelers to contact their airlines for further information about specific flights.

The Federal Aviation Administration evacuated the Aurora center just before 6 a.m. Friday, Sept. 26, because of a fire reported in a basement telecommunications room. Air traffic controllers immediately transferred airspace management to adjacent air traffic facilities and the FAA put other steps in place to manage the traffic, according to the FAA press release.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the incident, along with local police departments, and the FAA is supporting the investigation.

The FAA has conducted a preliminary damage assessment, and expects to gain access to the telecommunications area this evening to conduct a more thorough assessment. After technicians fully review the damage, they will be able to develop a timeline for repairs, replacement, and full restoration of services at the facility.

The FAA currently is managing Chicago Center traffic through adjacent high altitude radar centers in Cleveland, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and Minneapolis. Those facilities are working with the Chicago Terminal Radar Approach (TRACON) facility in Elgin, Illinois and other surrounding large TRACONs in areas such as South Bend, IN, Rockford and Moline IL, and Milwaukee, WI to track flights on radar and manage departures and arrivals in Chicago Center airspace. The FAA is re-routing overflights around the airspace.

he FAA is using all of its available air traffic tools to maximize capacity at the Chicago-area airports. The FAA will continue working with operators through the weekend to reduce disruptions.

SOURCE: Federal Aviation Administration 

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