Virgin American to finally land at O’Hare

Virgin American to finally land at O’Hare
AP/file
Virgin American to finally land at O’Hare
AP/file

Virgin American to finally land at O’Hare

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It looks like Virgin America will soon be landing at O’Hare International Airport. Chicago’s mayor announced Thursday that the city has finally reached a deal with the discount airline. Virgin America’s planning to begin operations at O’Hare on May 25. At first, it’s slated to fly five round-trips a day to Los Angeles and to San Francisco, where the airline is based. Virgin America CEO David Cush said the company’s presence will bring down fares in the Chicago market. “Every market we go into, generally fares drop by about 30 percent,” Cush said. “Competition increases and the quality of air travel increases. We will have that effect on Chicago O’Hare.” The sometimes-tense negotiations between the airline and the city have been going on since 2008, just a year after Virgin America was formed. City officials say they’re now in the process of buying a concourse from Delta Airlines in order to make room for Virgin America. That sale must still be approved by the City Council.