FAA head says Chicago could need new airport

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration says Chicago will either need to build a new airport or vastly expand one of its existing airports to keep pace with demand in the future.

Robert Sturgell told The Associated Press Wednesday that'll have to happen on top of the the ongoing $15 billion expansion of O'Hare International Airport.

The FAA's acting administrator says he appreciates the local resistance such projects can generate. But he says Chicago plays too vital a role as an aviation hub not to expand its airport capacity.

Sturgell says the number of air travelers could double by around 2015. And since newer, streamlined planes will carry fewer passengers, the total number of planes could increase at an even faster rate.