Airlines padding O’Hare schedules despite new runways

Critics say it’s a deceptive ploy to cover up poor performance by the air carriers. But the data also point to other issues — the problems of increasing aviation congestion resulting from growing demand for air service, as well as government and industry’s slow pace to modernize air-traffic operations, experts said.

“It’s a bit like a grand prix race car in that it is very difficult for the airlines to save anything more than a few seconds,” said John Grant, a senior analyst at OAG Aviation Worldwide, which conducted the study. “That’s the quandary for the airlines in terms of improving on-time performance. A whole host of events often conspire against it…” Please click here to read Jon Hilkevitch’s story in the Tribune.