Businesses scramble as flights continue to be canceled, delayed
Local businesses continued to scramble Monday with shipments and air travel on the fourth day of major flight disruptions resulting from damage to an air traffic control facility in Aurora.
Bob Chinn's Crab House in Wheeling, which built its reputation on fresh fish flown in daily, was forced to have seafood sent via truck from the East Coast and other locations, said Deno Roumanidakis, the restaurant's director of operations.
"It affected a few thousand pounds of fish and crab," he said. "So we had a lot trucked in, but it was late. We got what we needed and didn't run out. It was enough for the weekend."
Restaurants, logistics companies, and other businesses were forced to find other ways to send or receive shipments after thousands of flights were delayed or canceled at Midway and O'Hare international airports beginning Friday morning. A contract employee from Naperville is charged with sabotaging the facility in Aurora by cutting radar and communication lines, setting fires and stabbing himself multiple times with a knife. On Monday, more than 300 flights have been canceled and roughly 200 delays, according to FlightsStats.com.
Make A Wish Illinois, which grants dream trips to seriously ill children, had to rebook three families through alternate flights.
"The only wish with significant delays was for a child wishing to go on a cruise," said association spokeswoman Jessica Miller. "No flights were available to make the cruise's initial departure, so the family elected to reschedule for a later date instead of joining the cruise in progress at a port. That wish will take place in a couple of weeks."
Another family's stay at a destination was extended a day so they could take a flight back the next morning, she said. The children affected are from Calumet City, Naperville, South Elgin and Shorewood.
Sheri Billing, a doctor of audiology at The Hearing Doctor in Wheaton, said her United flight to Memphis on Friday was delayed over an hour, but she tracked United's alerts and got to the airport just before her flight was approved for takeoff, she said.
Her return flight on Sunday was canceled, but she was able to book another.
"I actually caught an earlier flight," she said.