Four days before we were due to fly to Chicago, we learned of the sabotage at the FAA air traffic control center in Aurora, Ill., which severely impacted air travel throughout the region and had a ripple effect across much of the country. On Friday, Sept. 26, the day of the incident, over 2,000 flights were cancelled, followed by more than 670 cancelled on Saturday. By Sunday, it was reported that O’Hare handled 60 percent of its usual traffic, with Midway up to 75 percent of its norm. The alleged saboteur, a contracted field technician, knew how to deal a crippling blow, and most of the computers in the center were destroyed and essential radar and telecommunication feeds were cut. (For an excellent summary of the events and the air traffic control system, check out Marni Pyke’s article in the Daily Herald here.) Our flight, a red eye from PDX to O’Hare on Spirit Airlines just after midnight on Wednesday, would not be greatly impacted, we hoped, considering the time of day. Our hopes were partly realized: our departure was delayed by about an hour and a half because the incoming flight (from Chicago) had been delayed in its departure . . . all attributed to the ongoing traffic control issues. We, however, got off relatively easy. Our daughter planned to fly to Chicago on Thursday, Oct. 2, on Southwest Airlines into Midway. She received a text from Southwest 24 hours before her flight stating that it had been cancelled and that she would need to rebook for a Friday flight. She was able to do so (getting the last seat on one) but got a bit of a run-around when she asked for an explanation. The first agent stated it had to do with the lingering repercussions of the ATC issues, but a compensation agent stated that, no, the cancellation was weather-related and therefore Jenny would not be compensated for her inconvenience. In Chicago, we saw weather reports which predicted a large storm would move into the area Thursday afternoon, bringing heavy rains, thunderstorms and high winds directly over the two airports. I suspect that under normal conditions, most airlines would not have been so quick to cancel flights so far in advance (as many did). However, with the added difficulties of air traffic being handled by four regional centers (in Cleveland, Minneapolis, Indianapolis and Kansas City) by controllers less familiar with the airspace and conditions than the Aurora staff, I imagine everyone chose to err on the side of caution. As it turned out, the dreaded storm largely skirted Chicago and its airports to the northeast and arrived, much weakened, late Thursday night. Jenny arrived Friday afternoon, safely, if not still rather peeved. We returned to Portland this past Wednesday, but our flight still was delayed departing by over an hour — still attributed to the ATC problems. And we noted an area in one of the concourses taken up with a significant number of cots, no doubt prepared to handle delayed or cancelled passengers. Right now, the FAA states that it plans to have all equipment installed and operations returned to normal by Oct. 13. Were you affected by the attack on the air traffic control center? — Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor