CHICAGO — The Federal Aviation Administration proposed capping daily takeoffs and landings at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport at between 2,600 and 2,800 flights this summer, seeking to prevent operational disruptions at the busiest airport in the U.S. by number of takeoffs and landings. The FAA has not released its final plan for flight limits at O'Hare.

Daily takeoffs and landings at the airport were set to increase from almost 2,700 per day last summer to more than 3,000 per day this year. The FAA wrote in a public notice in February that the increased flights would stress the runway, terminal, and air traffic control systems at O'Hare. In that filing, the agency proposed capping operations at 2,800 per day. A March filing lowered the proposed limit to about 2,600 takeoffs and landings per day.

The FAA held meetings in March with airlines and the Chicago Department of Aviation to discuss the proposed flight cuts. American Airlines and United Airlines, which both operate hubs at O'Hare, have publicly expressed support for the proposed reductions. The two carriers had added flights at a pace that drew the attention of federal regulators.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom framed the situation in competitive terms. "Where we were headed in Chicago, due to the reckless scheduling of our competitor, OK, was going to be gridlock," Isom said.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby offered a different characterization. "The DOT is going to come in and play dad and force us to share. And it's going to all be fine," Kirby said.

The Chicago Department of Aviation opposed the proposal, calling the proposed flight cuts "unwarranted" and "regressive" in public comments filed last month. The department said that expansions at O'Hare in recent years have reduced delays and increased the airport's operating capacity, and that it can accommodate 2,800 takeoffs and landings per day. The department also contended that the FAA is pushing to cut more flights than the agency has publicly stated. According to the department's filing, FAA officials proposed caps as low as 2,400 takeoffs and landings per day during meetings last month.

William McGee, a senior fellow at the American Economic Liberties Project who previously worked in airline operations, said the FAA's approach represented a departure from past practice. "The FAA typically waits for delays and cancellations to mount before forcing airlines to cut flights," McGee said. "I was happily surprised that they're taking action in advance," he added. "Their modus operandi has been to just let these things play out until they become a mess. And they're being a little proactive here. It's like, here's the pill," McGee said.

Last year, the FAA sharply limited flights at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey after air traffic control problems and runway construction led to delays and cancellations, a situation the agency said it wants to avoid repeating at O'Hare.