Committee on Aviation meeting, July 14, 2026
- When: Tue, Jul 14, 2026, 1:45 PM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Aviation
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8928533?video=1209938978
- Transcript: full text (7,271 words, automatic captions)
Meeting notes
AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.
The Committee on Aviation met with no public commenters and approved its January 20, 2026 Rule 45 report. The main item was a substitute ordinance approving 20-year lease agreements with Atlantic Aviation Corporation and Signature Flight Support LLC for fixed-base operator facilities at Midway International Airport. Department of Aviation officials said the leases raise rent by about 20 percent, increase the share of landing fees passed to the airport, require about $60 million in infrastructure investment from each company, and include $7.5 million from each toward a runway rehabilitation project; company representatives described their development plans, workforce and community programs. Members praised the investment, and one member urged Atlantic to unionize its Midway workforce after it was stated that its workforce there is not unionized. The committee recommended passage of the ordinance, to be reported at the July 15, 2026 City Council meeting.
Topics: Midway Airport, fixed-base operator leases, general aviation, airport revenue, airport infrastructure investment, union labor, workforce development, community investment
Agenda items discussed
- 10:26 Rule 45 report of the January 20, 2026 Committee on Aviation meeting: passed
- 10:50 Substitute ordinance for lease agreements with Atlantic Aviation Corporation and Signature Flight Support LLC for facilities at Chicago Midway International Airport: passed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Matthew J. O'Shea (chair): Thanked the two companies for investing in the city and choosing Chicago and said he looks forward to working with them over the lease term. (54:33)
- Marty Quinn (alderperson): Asked whether Atlantic's Midway workforce is unionized like Signature's and whether the construction work will be union. (46:55); Said companies that are part of the city should hire union workers and allow employees to unionize, noting nearby residents along 63rd Street are union members. (47:31); Said as the 13th Ward alderperson he is grateful for the companies' investment at Midway and described it as diversifying the airport beyond one carrier. (48:12)
- Nicole T. Lee (alderperson): Said Midway has improved significantly and expressed gratitude for the companies' 20-year lease renewals and investments. (49:33); Praised the companies' community engagement and workforce pipeline work and asked them to expand the student program from 18 to 40 participants. (49:54); Echoed support for union jobs and described the four-cents-per-gallon community contribution as tying the company's commitment to its business success. (50:29)
- Derrick G. Curtis (alderperson): Thanked the Department of Aviation staff and described working with Atlantic on a summer program moving high school students into aviation through Daley College. (51:23)
- Nicholas Sposato (alderperson): Thanked the Department of Aviation staff, welcomed the companies, and moved to pass the ordinance. (53:34)
Exchanges between members
- 46:45 The chair recognized Quinn for questions.
- 46:49 Quinn thanked the chair for his leadership on the item.
- 48:59 The chair thanked Quinn and recognized Lee.
- 49:01 Lee said she would echo some of what her colleague Quinn had said.
- 51:16 The chair thanked Lee and recognized Curtis.
- 51:21 Curtis thanked the chair before his remarks.
- 53:34 Sposato said his colleague had already said what he wanted to say about the Department of Aviation.