Updated: Sep. 26, 2014 at 4:55 P.M. 

Chicago fire forces ground stop at O’Hare and Midway

Flights have resumed at O’Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport at a “reduced rate,” according to CNN.

More than a 1,000 flights were canceled today when the air traffic control center in Aurora, Illinois was evacuated after a contract employee set fire to the center’s basement and tried to kill himself with a knife. The incident was not related to terrorism, said officials.

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More than a 1,000 flights have been canceled at O’Hare International Report and Chicago Midway International Airport, and the FAA has released a statement that flights have begun departing and arriving at a reduced rate, though the FAA website says flights will resume as of 2 P.M. ET.

At this time, Flightradar24.com shows no flights in the air around Chicago.

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A ground stop has been ordered at O’Hare and Midway international airports after a fire broke out in an air traffic control facility Friday morning, reports The Huffington Post.

More than 300 flight have been cancelled to and from Chicago O’Hare International.

More than 360 flights had been canceled to and from O’Hare Airport and more than 70 flights are delayed after the fire forced the evacuation of the Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center in Aurora. About 80 flights at Midway have been canceled.

The stoppage may have devastating effects on air travel today as O’Hare, a major airline hub, services more than 1,000 flights each day and was ranked the second-busiest airport last year, according to a CNN.

Southwest suspended all flights at Midway until noon, and United has waived change fees for those who want to voluntary change their flight to be earlier or later in the day. For those who want to change the day of their flight, the change fee has been waived, but a different fare will apply.

Air France strike extended until Sep. 30

Air France pilots vote to extend the strike until Sep. 30.

The Air France Pilot Union has voted to extend the current strike through Sep. 30. The airport is allowing affected customers to change their bookings to a new date, up to Oct. 16.

Travel Mole reports that Air France has scrapped its proposal to expand its low-cost European airlines Transavia in hopes of ending the strike. Pilots feared lower pay with Transavia compared to the company’s core business.

The pilots have been on strike 10 days, grounding half of Air France’s fleet. The strike costs Air France approximately £12 million a day.