O’Hare on track to be busiest airport in 2006

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport
was on track to reclaim the title of “world’s busiest airport”
in 2006, outpacing the flight volume at Hartsfield-Jackson
Atlanta Airport, government data showed on Monday.

The Federal Aviation Administration said that in the first
six months of this year O’Hare saw a total of 477,001 flights
in the first six months of 2006, compared with 472,431 flights
at Hartsfield.

Hartsfield has seen more planes arrive and depart than
O’Hare since 2004. Based on the total number of flights,
Hartsfield was the busiest airport in the world in 2005.

O’Hare, which held that distinction in 2001, 2002, 2003 and
2004, saw its flight volume decline by 1.3 percent in the first
six months of 2006. Hartsfield saw its volume decline by 5
percent during the same time period.