Chicago Midway International Airport

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This is an article about the airport in Chicago. For the airport in British Columbia, Canada see Midway Airport (British Columbia).
“MDW” redirects here. For other uses, see MDW (disambiguation).
Chicago Midway International Airport

Image:Chicago Midway Airport Logo.gif

IATA: MDW – ICAO: KMDW – FAA: MDW
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner City of Chicago
Operator Chicago Airport System
Serves Chicago, Illinois
Elevation AMSL 620 ft / 189 m
Coordinates 41°47′10″N, 087°45′09″W
Website www.flychicago.com
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
4L/22R 5,507 1,679 Asphalt
4R/22L 6,446 1,965 Asphalt/Concrete
13C/31C 6,522 1,988 Concrete
13L/31R 5,141 1,567 Asphalt
13R/31L 3,589 1,176 Concrete
Statistics (2006)
Aircraft operations 298,548
Passenger volume 18,868,388
Cargo tonnage 16,450
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1] and airport's website[2]
The Greater-Chicago Area featuring Chicago-Midway and O'Hare International Airports
The Greater-Chicago Area featuring Chicago-Midway and O'Hare International Airports

Chicago Midway International Airport (IATA: MDW, ICAO: KMDW, FAA LID: MDW), also known simply as Midway Airport, is an airport in Chicago, Illinois, United States, located on the city's southwest side, eight miles from Chicago's Loop. It is bordered by (clockwise from N) 55th Street, Cicero Avenue (terminal entrance), 63rd Street, and Central Avenue. The airport's northern half is within the Garfield Ridge community area, and the southern half is within the Clearing community area. Midway is heavily used by low-cost carriers, such as AirTran Airways, ATA Airlines, and Southwest Airlines, and to a lesser extent by legacy carriers, such as Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Northwest Airlines. In 2006, 18,868,388 passengers traveled through Chicago-Midway, making the facility Chicagoland's second busiest airport behind O'Hare International Airport, and ahead of Gary/Chicago International Airport and Chicago/Rockford International Airport.

Today, Midway Airport serves as a focus city for Dallas-based Southwest Airlines and Orlando-based AirTran Airways, and is also the main operations base for ATA Airlines (ATA), which, in addition to its domestic network, flies internationally from Midway to cities in Mexico. Prior to 2004, ATA had offered significant scheduled service to destinations from Midway Airport and was the airport's dominant carrier, occupying and operating 14 of the 17 gates in Concourse A. However, after the airline declared bankruptcy in October 2004, scheduled service from Midway significantly decreased. Due to repeated cancellations to its schedule, ATA now offers only 18 daily non-stop flights to 5 destinations, and mainly operates out of only 2 gates in Concourse B. Recently, the airline has announced its intention to add new service from Chicago to Oakland, CA, and Ontario, CA on May 11, 2007. These new additions will mark the first time ATA has increased service at Chicago-Midway in almost three years.

Southwest Airlines is the dominant carrier at Midway, controlling 29 of the airport's 43 gates. Currently, the airline offers 218 daily departures to 47 destinations. AirTran Airways is the second largest carrier at Midway, offering 27 daily nonstop flights to 9 destinations. AirTran has continued its Chicago (Midway) expansion in recent months with the additions of new nonstop flights to Fort Myers, Miami, and West Palm Beach.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Early history

Originally named Chicago Air Park, Midway Airport was built on 320 acres in 1923 and consisted of a single cinder runway that primarily served airmail services. In 1926, the Chicago City Council leased the land for commercial purposes from the Chicago Board of Education at a rate of $1560 per year. On December 12 of the following year, Midway was dedicated as "Chicago Municipal Airport" and became known as "Munie" to many early pilots. The unique one square mile footprint of Midway Airport is due to its connection to the Chicago Board of Education. When the state of Illinois was created, land was divided into townships and each township included a section (one square mile or 640 acres) devoted to education and in most instances the one room school houses were located on this land, the balance of which was farmed to provide funds for the operation of the school. As township school districts consolidated, much of this excess land was sold for other purposes but the Chicago Board of Education continued to own the Midway Airport section and rent it to the City of Chicago for airport operations until the early 1980s when an education funding crisis forced the Board of Education to sell the land to the City.

During its first full year of operation in 1928, the airfield was home to twelve hangars and four runways, lit for night operations. Air traffic control was handled by flagmen, who would be positioned at the end of the runways, where they were responsible that year for controlling 14,498 flight operations carrying 41,660 passengers. The official observation site for Chicago's weather records was also moved to Midway during that year from the downtown area and would remain there until it was moved again, this time to O'Hare, in 1958.

A new passenger terminal and administration building, funded by a bond issue, was dedicated in 1931 by Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak and in the following year, Midway Airport earned the title of "World's Busiest" with over 100,000 passengers riding on 60,947 flights. Midway held that title for three decades until O'Hare claimed it in 1962.

Midway Airport Diagram
Midway Airport Diagram

The war years proved to be a boon for Midway, which saw new construction funded in part by $1 million in Federal monies from the Works Progress Administration, and work on additional runways moved forward in 1941 when a court ordered the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad to reroute tracks in the vicinity of the airfield. Midway handled a full 25% of the Nation's 417,000 passengers during that year.

The airport was officially renamed on July 8, 1949, by a unanimous vote in the City Council, to "Chicago Midway Airport" in honor of the World War II Battle of Midway (and not after Midway Airlines as many thought), and saw 3.2 million passengers carried on 223,000 flights during that year. The number of passengers rose to 3.5 million the next year and reached a height of 10 million in 1959. This Video of Chicago Midway Airport in 1954 helps show the increase in traffic that Midway Airport experienced throughout the 1950s. However, by 1959, the airport had proved unable to handle larger aircraft and higher passenger loads. By 1961, the airport faced a 60% drop in passenger traffic, largely due to the opening of O'Hare in 1955. United Airlines, the first major carrier to serve Midway, ceased operations at the airport, the last remaining carrier to do so during this period of decline.

[edit] Post O'Hare History

By 1967, reconstruction had begun at the airport, and in 1968, the City invested $10 million in renovation funds. The funds partly supported construction of the Stevenson Expressway, which proved to be a major route for passengers to the airport, and Midway saw the return of major airlines during that year, aided in part by the introduction of jets, such as the DC-9, 727 and 737, that were capable of using Midway's shorter runways, which the 707 and DC-8 could not

In 1979, Midway Airlines began operations, the first to do so after the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, and went on to become the flagship carrier at Midway before ending its operations in 1991. Midway Airlines helped revitalize the airport and led the way for other discount carriers, who benefitted from Midway's lower costs and close proximity to Chicago's Loop, to prosper. Southwest Airlines, which began operations at Midway in 1985, was one such beneficiary.

The Chicago Transit Authority displaced the Carlton Midway Inn to open a new CTA terminal at the airport on October 31, 1993 for the newly established Chicago 'L' Orange Line, which connected Midway to Chicago's Loop.

In 1996, Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley announced the historic Midway Airport Terminal Development Program, which was launched the next year. At the time, it was the largest public works project in the state.[3]

[edit] Recent History

The Midway Airport Parking Garage opened in 1999, bringing covered parking to the airport for the first time. The garage, offering 3,000 hourly and daily parking spaces, is connected to the Midway Terminal Building for convenient access to ticket counters and baggage claim areas. Continuing with the expansion project, in 2000, a pedestrian bridge over Cicero Avenue was constructed. The bridge connects the new terminal to the new concourses.

Midway Airport's new passenger terminal. In the background are ticket counters for Southwest Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and Delta Air Lines.
Midway Airport's new passenger terminal. In the background are ticket counters for Southwest Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and Delta Air Lines.

In 2001, the new 900,000 square foot (84,000 square meter) Midway Airport terminal building opened, offering expanded ticket counters, spacious baggage claim areas, traveler information and a short walking distance to airline gates. A 50,000 square-foot food court opened with Chicago-style food and retail options, and in 2002, Midway welcomed the return of direct international service after a 40-year absence with the opening of the new Federal Inspection Service facility in Concourse A.[4]

In June 2004, Mayor Daley and airline officials celebrated the completion of the Terminal Development Program. The expansion project resulted in the addition of 14 gates (from 29 to 43), with the airport now providing 43 gates on 3 concourses.

A new 6,300 space economy parking garage, including a new bridge and roadway used exclusively for buses shuttling passengers to and from the terminal opened in December 2005.

Both American Airlines[5] and United Airlines[6] ended all scheduled service to Midway in September 2006, in favor of concentrating Chicago-area operations at nearby O'Hare International Airport.

Despite its small size compared to O'Hare, Midway is still a vital Chicago transportation terminal. Its key advantage is that it is closer to the Loop than O'Hare.

[edit] New airlines

Big Sky Airlines announced on November 1, 2006, the commencement of scheduled service nonstop flights between Springfield, Illinois, and Midway to start on December 3. Four weekday flights will be offered, with two flights being offered on the weekends. Big Sky recently also announced they would begin a daily nonstop flight to Eau Claire, Wisconsin beginning on March 17.[7]

Air Midwest, a subsidiary of Mesa Air Group, also confirmed that scheduled service flights would commence between Midway and Decatur and Quincy, Illinois on February 1, 2007.[8]

Midway Airport continues today as a vital part of the Chicago Airport System.

[edit] Previous airline service

Before the rise of O'Hare in the late 1950s, Midway was the world's busiest airport and one of the key hubs in the U.S. airline system. United Airlines was headquartered at Midway in the pre-O'Hare days, and American Airlines was originally based at Midway until it moved its headquarters to New York City in the mid-1930s. There was also a very large presence from TWA and Eastern Air Lines, as well as several others. The airport was extensively renovated in 1958 and, again, in 1967, after in which several of the legacy carriers resumed service after a period of some years. Midway was also a hub for the startup Midway Airlines in the 1980s, and a focus city for former Vanguard Airlines from 1997 - 2000.

[edit] Airfield

Runway 4R at Chicago's Midway Airport.In the background is the Chicago skyline.
Runway 4R at Chicago's Midway Airport.
In the background is the Chicago skyline.

The original fully-developed 1940s layout included 8 runways that crisscrossed the 8-block-by-8-block (one square mile) property. All terminals and hangars were on the square periphery. By the late 1970s the shorter north-south and east-west runway pairs had been closed. 4 of the original runways remain, all significantly strengthened and enhanced, but essentially the same lengths as always. A short runway for light aircraft was added in 1989.

Chicago Midway International Airport covers 650 acres and currently has five runways:

  • Runway 13C/31C: 6,522 x 150 ft. (1,988 x 46 m), air carrier runway, ILS equipped.
  • Runway 4R/22L: 6,446 x 150 ft. (1,965 x 46 m), air carrier runway, ILS equipped.
  • Runway 4L/22R: 5,507 x 150 ft. (1,679 x 46 m), general aviation & air taxi.
  • Runway 13L/31R: 5,141 x 150 ft. (1,567 x 46 m), general aviation & air taxi.
  • Runway 13R/31L: 3,859 x 60 ft. (1,176 x 18 m), light aircraft only.

Because Midway is surrounded by buildings and other development, the landing thresholds of the runways are displaced to provide a proper obstacle clearance. Both the FAA and the airlines assure safety by limiting loads and adhering to adjusted weather minimums. Also because of displaced thresholds the runways are actually a lot shorter in terms of take-offs and landings. 13C/31C the longest runway only has a maximum take-off and landing distance of 6059 feet and on the opposite end of the runway the maximum take-off and landing distance is 5826 feet. All the other runways have a maximum take-off and landing distance below 5930 feet.[9]

Further information: Displaced threshold

[edit] Airlines and destinations

Chicago-Midway Airport provides 43 aircraft gates on 3 concourses (A, B, & C)

Chicago-Midway Coucourses A, B, & C
Chicago-Midway Coucourses A, B, & C

[edit] Concourse A

Note: All International Arrivals are handled in Concourse A

Concourse A has 17 Gates: A1 - A3, A4A, A4B, A5, A7, A9 - A12, A14 - A19

  • AirTran Airways Gates A4B, A10, A12 (Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Fort Myers [seasonal], Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Orlando, Sarasota/Bradenton, West Palm Beach [seasonal])
  • ATA Airlines Gate A3 (Cancún, Dallas/Fort Worth, Guadalajara, New York-LaGuardia, Oakland [begins May 11], Ontario [begins May 12], Washington-Reagan)
  • Big Sky Airlines Gate A2 (Eau Claire, Springfield (IL))
  • Delta Air Lines Gate A1
  • Frontier Airlines Gate A2 (Denver)
  • Mesa Airlines Gate A4A
  • Northwest Airlines Gates A5, A7 (Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul)
  • Southwest Airlines Gates A9, A11, A14 - A19 (Albany, Albuquerque, Austin, Baltimore/Washington, Birmingham (AL), Buffalo, Cleveland, Columbus, Denver, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Hartford/Springfield, Houston-Hobby, Indianapolis, Jackson, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Little Rock, Long Island/Islip, Los Angeles, Louisville, Manchester (NH), Nashville, New Orleans, Norfolk, Oakland, Omaha, Orange County, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland (OR), Providence, Raleigh/Durham, Reno/Tahoe, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Jose (CA), Seattle/Tacoma, St. Louis, Tampa, Tucson, Washington-Dulles)

[edit] Concourse B

Airlines & Destinations served from Chicago's Midway Airport (As of 2006)
Airlines & Destinations served from Chicago's Midway Airport (As of 2006)

Note: International Arrivals are handled in Concourse A.

Concourse B has 23 Gates: B1 - B3, B5, B7 - B12, B14 - B26

[edit] Concourse C

Concourse C has 3 Gates: C1 - C3

[edit] Incidents

[edit] Major Incidents

In 1955, an American Airlines flight struck a billboard while attempting to land on runway 13R. The plane crashed onto the field and about 20 people perished.

On June 30, 1956 United Airlines Flight 718, a Douglas DC-7, was headed for Midway Airport. Over the Grand Canyon it collided with a TWA Super Constellation killing all 128 people on both planes. This became the impetus for the modern air traffic control system.

In 1959, a TWA Constellation freighter attempted to return to the field with engine problems. The aircraft struck a building at the intersection of 64th and Knox streets, and came to rest at the intersection of 64th and Kilpatrick. 11 people died, including 3 of the airline's crew and the remainder on the ground.[10]


On December 8, 1972, United Airlines Flight 553, a Boeing 737-200, crashed into a residential area outside of Midway during landing, killing 43 of the 61 on board, and two on the ground.

Exactly 33 years later, on December 8, 2005, Southwest Airlines Flight 1248, a Boeing 737-700 inbound from Baltimore-Washington International Airport in Baltimore, Maryland, slid off the runway while attempting to land at the airport in heavy snow and winds. The airplane broke through the barrier fence of the airport and came to rest in the intersection of 55th Street and Central Avenue bordering the airport at its northwest corner.[11] A 6-year-old boy was killed as a passenger in a vehicle that was struck by the plane after it skidded into the street.[12]

[edit] Other Incidents

List of major incidents
Date Registration Aircraft Carrier Location Summary
05/31/36 NC14979 DC-2 Trans World Airlines - On approach to 27L, 1 engine out, strong gusts, crashed half a mile east of field
12/04/40 NC25678 DC-3A United Airlines 6356 So. Keating Pilot lost sight in bad weather, spun in
05/21/43 B-24 US ARMY 3625 W. 73 St. On approach, disoriented in bad weather, hit huge gas storage tank 2.5 miles south east
09/26/46 NC19939 DC-3 Trans World Airlines W. of 96 Ave. at 97St. Mid-air collision with Boeing PT-17, DC-3 limped in to Midway
07/02/46 NC28383 DC-3 Trans World Airlines - Crashed 1.5 miles northeast of field
03/10/48 NC37478 DC-4 Delta Air Lines 5000 W. 55 St. Plane took off 36L, at 150 feet went vertical, at 500 feet nosed over, crashed on 55th. St.
03/26/49 NC90736 DC-6 American Airlines - Hit power lines on approach
12/18/49 NC86501 L-049 Trans World Airlines - Landing too far down 13R crashed through fence, ended up at 63 & Cicero
01/04/51 N79982 C-46 Monarch Airlines - Overloaded taking off on 31L, could not climb, crashed on railroad tracks one half mile northeast
09/16/51 N74689 C-46 Peninsula Transport - Belly-landed 500 yards away at northeast 63 & Harlem
03/03/53 N6214C L-1049 Eastern Airlines On field Landed on 31L, gear collapsed, skidded southwest toward Hale School
07/17/55 N3422 Convair 340 Braniff International Airways On field Hit gas station sign on approach to 13R, flipped over, crashed
08/05/55 N74601 Boeing 377 Northwest Airlines - Landed 31L, couldn't stop, crashed through fence 55th & Central
02/20/56 N7404 Vickers Viscount Capitol On field Landing on 31L plane flopped in 300 feet short of threshold
03/15/59 N94273 Convair 240 American Airlines - Lost sight of 31L on approach, crashed in railroad yard one half mile south of field
11/24/59 N102R L-1049H Trans World Airlines Came to rest 63rd & Kilpatrick Plane departed 31L, fire on #2, circled to land 31L, crashed 0.2 miles southeast of field
09/01/61 N86511 L-049 Trans World Airlines - Plane departed Midway, lost elevator bolt, crashed near Hinsdale, Illinois
12/08/72 N9031U 737-200 United Airlines 71st.& Springfield Aircraft descended too low on approach to 31L and struck houses, crashed 1.25 miles southeast of airport
03/25/76 N1EM Lockheed Jetstar Executive On field Pilot unfamiliar with plane attempted take off 13R, never airborne, crashed into fence 63 & Cicero
08/06/76 N9446Z B-25 Bomber Air Chgo - Poor maintenance, plane took off 4L, lost engine 2, crashed 0.4 miles west of field
12/08/05 N461WN 737-700 Southwest Airlines 55 & Central Landed 31C during snowstorm, crashed through fence, hit 2 cars, killed child in car, 55th & Central

INFORMATION SOURCED FROM: Civil Aeronautics Board archives, NTSB records, bukiri-research.

NOTE: The runway now designated 13C-31C was designated 13R-31L until 1989, when a new Runway 13R-31L was built.

[edit] Transit

Midway Airport is served by the Chicago Transit Authority's "L" trains. Passengers can board Orange Line trains at a station in the airport terminal, which runs to downtown Chicago and the Loop (transit time about 30 minutes). This same station doubles as a stop for many CTA-run buses that serve the surrounding areas. Midway is one of the few airports in the United States that have direct rapid transit train to terminal service.[13]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ FAA Airport Master Record for MDW (Form 5010 PDF), retrieved March 15, 2007.
  2. ^ City of Chicago, Airport Activity Statistics, December 2006, published February 27, 2007.
  3. ^ Early History/Post O'hare history. The Tracon (2007-04-06).
  4. ^ New Midway Terminal. Airport-Technology.com (2007-04-06).
  5. ^ American to pull out of Chicago Midway. USA Today (2007-04-06).
  6. ^ United to pull out of Chicago Midway. USA Today (2007-04-06).
  7. ^ Big Sky Airlines Service. Big Sky Airlines (2007-04-06).
  8. ^ Air Midwest Service. Chicago Sun Times (2007-04-06).
  9. ^ Airfield Info. Airnav (2007-04-06).
  10. ^ Crashes of 1959. Crash-Aerien (2005-12-08).
  11. ^ Jet Slides Off Runway at Chicago's Midway. ABC News (2005-12-08).
  12. ^ Jet Slides Off Chicago Runway; Boy Dies. ABC News (2005-12-08).
  13. ^ Map of "L" Train to Midway. Chicago Transit Authority (2007-04-05).

[edit] External links

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