O'hare Airport's Location: A Danger To Residents And Nature

Chicago O'Hare International Airport, located 17 miles northwest of the Loop business district, has been ranked as one of the most dangerous airports in the country by Travel and Leisure magazine. The ranking was based on near collisions and runway incidents, with 75 close calls reported in the past five years. The airport's three pairs of angled runways, designed to allow takeoffs into the wind, have been cited as a contributing factor to the dangers and inefficiencies at O'Hare, leading to a high percentage of delayed flights. Winter weather conditions and heavy winds in summer can further exacerbate the challenges, affecting the safety of take-off and landing operations.

Ranked most dangerous airport in the US

Chicago's O'Hare International Airport has been ranked the most dangerous airport in the United States. In 2011, Travel and Leisure magazine ranked the airport based on near collisions and runway incidents. The report stated that there were 75 close calls at O'Hare in the past five years. O'Hare's runways were meant to allow takeoffs into the wind, but they came at a cost: the intersecting runways were both dangerous and inefficient. Official reports at the end of the 1990s ranked O'Hare as one of the worst-performing airports in the US based on the percentage of delayed flights.

While O'Hare has been ranked the most dangerous in the US, there are other airports around the world that are considered more dangerous overall. For instance, the History Channel ranked the Toncontin International Airport in Tegucigalpa as the second most dangerous airport in the world. The approach to this airport is considered one of the most difficult, especially during inclement weather conditions. On May 30, 2008, a flight overran the runway, rolled into a street, and crashed into an embankment, killing five people.

Paro Airport in Bhutan is considered so challenging that only eight pilots are qualified to land there. Similarly, only pilots with special training can land at St. Helena Airport, where strong winds from the ocean create turbulent conditions for landing. The Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla, Nepal, is located at 9,383 feet above sea level, with a short runway of only 1,729 feet. The unpredictable mountain weather often causes flight cancellations, and failure to reach this short runway can result in crashing into the nearby mountains.

Other airports known for their challenging conditions include Madeira Airport in the southern part of Greenland, which is situated amid fjords and strong winds, and Queenstown Airport in New Zealand, where pilots must navigate jagged mountain ranges and strong downdrafts with frequent poor visibility.

Dangerous runway design

Chicago O'Hare International Airport has been ranked as one of the most dangerous airports in the country, with various intersecting runways that are considered dangerous and inefficient. The airport's three pairs of angled runways, designed to allow takeoffs into the wind, have contributed to a high percentage of delayed flights and close calls.

In the late 1990s, official reports ranked O'Hare as one of the worst-performing airports in the United States due to the layout of its runways. The airport's modernization plan, approved in 2005, aimed to address these issues by reconfiguring the airfield, constructing new runways, lengthening existing ones, and decommissioning old runways. Despite these efforts, O'Hare continues to face challenges with runway safety.

Between 2016 and 2019, there were over 60 runway "incursions" reported at O'Hare, highlighting ongoing safety concerns. One incident involved a Chicago Department of Aviation employee driving a vehicle onto an active runway, forcing an incoming Boeing jet to abort its landing. Another incident occurred when a taxiing Gulfstream jet was instructed to cross a runway as another aircraft was approaching for landing, resulting in the arriving plane having to abort its landing.

To improve safety and reduce delays, the $8.5 billion O'Hare Modernization Program (OMP) was initiated in 2001. The program included the construction of Runway 9C-27C, which can accommodate all types of aircraft and helps balance flight activity between the north and south airfields. The new runway configuration allows for quadruple simultaneous arrivals, increasing hourly arrival capacity by 33%. Additionally, the ability to land aircraft on three runways during bad weather conditions has significantly reduced weather-related delays.

Inefficient runway layout

Chicago O'Hare International Airport has long been criticised for its inefficient runway layout. The airport's original design featured intersecting runways, which were not only dangerous but also highly inefficient. The intersecting runways caused massive delays, impacting not only passengers but also the wider aviation industry, with a ripple effect across the nation.

The $6 billion project to reconfigure the runways took 16 years to complete, and involved building four new runways, extending two others, and adding two new air traffic control towers. The project replaced the intersecting runways with parallel runways, allowing for triple parallel approaches, which enable three aircraft to land simultaneously. This new configuration not only reduces delays but also enhances safety by protecting against runway incursions.

Despite the recent improvements, some residents living near the airport have expressed their disappointment as the new runway has not significantly reduced the noise from jet engines. They had hoped that the new runway would bring some relief from the constant roar of low-flying jets. However, officials have stated that the north airfield, including the new runway, is still a work in progress, and that the redistribution of noise will take time.

The inefficient runway layout at O'Hare International Airport has historically caused significant challenges, impacting both safety and operational efficiency. The recent improvements, however, show promise in addressing these issues, even though there is ongoing work to be done to optimise the use of the new runways and minimise noise disruption for nearby communities.

Delayed flights due to snow and ice storms

Chicago O'Hare International Airport has been ranked as one of the most dangerous airports in the United States. Its three pairs of angled runways, which were designed to allow take-off into the wind, have been deemed inefficient and dangerous due to intersecting runways. This has resulted in a high percentage of delayed flights, with official reports from the 1990s ranking O'Hare as one of the worst-performing airports in the country in terms of delayed flights.

The airport's location in the Midwest of the United States means it often experiences snow and ice storms during the winter months, which can cause significant disruptions to flight operations. For example, in January 2025, a ground stop was issued at O'Hare due to snowy and icy weather conditions, with the Federal Aviation Administration halting landings and departures. Over 140 flights were canceled, and delays averaged over two hours. Similarly, in February 2025, a ground delay was issued in anticipation of a winter storm, with departure delays averaging around 30 minutes, and inbound flights experiencing delays of up to 1 hour and 30 minutes.

The impact of snow and ice storms on flight operations at O'Hare can be attributed to a combination of factors, including reduced visibility, icy runways, and the need for de-icing procedures. These factors can result in delayed departures, canceled flights, and even diverted landings at alternative airports. The FAA plays a crucial role in managing these situations, issuing ground delays or stops to ensure the safety of passengers, crew, and aircraft.

To mitigate the impact of snow and ice storms, O'Hare International Airport implements various procedures, including snow and ice removal from runways, de-icing of aircraft, and adjusting flight schedules to account for potential delays. The airport's location near Lake Michigan also contributes to the challenges posed by winter weather, as lake-effect snow can create hazardous travel conditions, including freezing drizzle.

Overall, the dangerous reputation of O'Hare International Airport, coupled with the impact of snow and ice storms, highlights the importance of proactive safety measures and efficient management of flight operations during winter weather events.

Heavy winds make take-off and landing dangerous

Chicago O'Hare International Airport has been ranked as one of the most dangerous airports in the country by Travel and Leisure magazine, which based its ranking on near collisions and runway incidents. The airport's location means it experiences strong north-northwest winds, north winds, and north-northeast winds for prolonged periods, especially during winter storms. These winds can make take-off and landing dangerous, as aircraft that land in crosswinds are at a higher risk of accidents due to the limited runway configuration.

O'Hare's three pairs of angled runways were designed to allow take-offs into the wind, but this design has been deemed both dangerous and inefficient. The best practice for take-offs and landings is to take off and land into the wind, as flying into the wind provides the most stable lift of air under the wings for flight. Crosswinds, on the other hand, can cause unexpected changes in lift that can cause an aircraft to suddenly change altitude or roll.

The risk of accidents due to crosswinds is further exacerbated by the fact that O'Hare's major runways are planned to have an East-West configuration. This means that aircraft are forced to take off and land in crosswinds on days when the winds blow perpendicular to the single runway direction. The airport's diagonal runways, which could help mitigate this issue, have been closed. As a result, there is a higher risk of runway or takeoff/landing incidents at O'Hare, with some reports indicating a recent increase in such incidents.

The impact of heavy winds on take-off and landing can vary depending on the aircraft type and size. Larger aircraft, such as the Boeing 777, generally have larger control surfaces, giving pilots greater control authority in crosswinds. Additionally, the maximum wind limits for commercial aircraft depend on the aircraft, airport, and the direction of the wind relative to the direction of take-off or landing. While there is no single maximum wind limit, a crosswind above 40 mph can start to cause problems and prevent commercial jets from taking off and landing.

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