Brattle Consultants Michael Cragg and Lisa Cameron Involved in Favorable Settlement for City of Chicago in Dispute over O’Hare Construction Program

In a recent preliminary injunction suit brought by American Airlines and United Airlines, counsel for the City of Chicago retained Dr. Michael Cragg to provide an independent assessment of the economic harms that could arise if the City were to continue its multi-billion dollar construction program at O’Hare International Airport. The airlines accused the city of Chicago of violating a lease agreement giving airlines authority to approve expenditures for capital projects. After assessing the airlines’ claims, Dr. Cragg opined that proceeding with the construction program would ultimately reduce delays and enhance services to the air traveling public, while the resulting disruptions in the airlines’ business could be compensable with monetary damages. The parties in this highly publicized case reached a favorable settlement that allows the construction program to proceed in 2011. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood called this settlement “a landmark achievement that will benefit air travelers throughout the entire nation.”