O'Hare, Midway see big traffic drops

Crain's Chicago Business reports:

O’Hare International Airport showed the biggest decline in flights among the nation’s top five airports during the first six months of the year, reflecting the aviation industry downturn caused by record fuel prices.

The number of flights at O’Hare, the nation’s second-busiest airport behind Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International, fell 4.2% from the year-ago period, according to preliminary data from the FAA.

The number of flights at Midway International Airport declined 9.6%, as airlines have cut back on the use of small regional jets, which are more expensive to fly than bigger planes because of their small passenger loads.