Ben Joravsky, 7/3/08:

Put aside for the moment any discussion about whether the O’Hare expansion plan is prudent or whether it’s been rendered obsolete by rising fuel costs and ticket prices.

Jon Hilkevich and Julie Johnsson, Trib investigation, 11/20/08:

Marking an unprecedented break with City Hall that contradicts the public appearance of solidarity on the $15 billion O'Hare project, executives at six of O'Hare's largest airlines advised city planners in letters sent this summer to downsize the large-scale remake of the airport to better fit the new economic realities of the struggling industry.

Publicly, the carriers are filing documents with the Federal Aviation Administration opposing the proposed use of passenger ticket taxes for some new terminals and other parts of the O’Hare project.

Privately, the airlines say it’s only a matter of time until the city acknowledges it must scale back the project.