The Federal Aviation Administration has sharply reduced airlines' summer flight plans at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, blocking United Airlines and American Airlines from expanding their schedules. The agency will permit 372 fewer flights than airlines requested, representing a 12% reduction from proposed summer schedules. This decision undercuts the carriers' competitive push to capture more passengers at the Midwest's busiest aviation hub.

Earlier this year, the FAA warned that increased traffic could compromise operations at O'Hare, which handles about 100 departures and 100 arrivals hourly, totaling 2,800 daily operations. Airlines had planned to boost this to nearly 3,100 flights on peak summer days - a 15% increase from last year. The agency's intervention prevents what could have been the most congested summer season in the airport's history.

The flight cap forces United and American to maintain their current capacity despite their ambitions to grow market share. Both carriers had been aggressively adding routes and frequencies to compete for Chicago travelers, making O'Hare a key battleground in their rivalry. The FAA's decision prioritizes operational reliability over airline expansion plans.