By Julie Johnsson and John Hilkevitch | Smaller jets once reserved for short hops to cities like Des Moines, Iowa, are taking on a larger role at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, squeezing both passengers and city revenues.
United and American Airlines, the airport’s two major tenants, schedule about two regional jet flights for every one flown on far-larger Airbus or Boeing jets at O’Hare, according to data compiled by OAG for the Tribune.
American Eagle planes waiting at O’Hare. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)>>
Ten years ago, the numbers were reversed: American operated two traditional jet flights for every flight by its American Eagle regional jet subsidiary. United flew three flights for every flight subcontracted to its United Express carriers. The airlines are making the changes mainly because the smaller jets are cheaper to fly, and experts say there is likely no going backward: In the future, domestic flights of two or three hours will likely be flown by smaller planes.
Don’t ask me why, but I love this guy. I had no prior knowledge of him until I saw this figure on the back of the Blue Beetle card. I’d go as far as to say he motivated me to pick up wave 7 and start collecting DCUC (!). Mine did come with a messed up emblem, though. It’s missing a small section on one of the outer loops. Kind of depressing because it was the only Aquaman figure I had come across at that point and I really wanted to complete AS. Of course I saw another Aquaman at Wal-mart last and almost bought him just to switch out the torso and return him, but decided against it because the rest of the torso had sloppy paint. It would just be an endless cycle. I determined it would be easier to fix the logo myself.