The Federal Aviation Administration met with airlines on Wednesday to discuss flight reductions at O'Hare airport.
If O'Hare's two biggest carriers were allowed to follow through with their planned summer flight schedule, the FAA said it's concerned that the traffic would simply be too much for the airport to handle.
The meetings in Washington this week are an effort to prevent large-scale disruption at the nation's busiest airport.
The battle over air supremacy at O'Hare has been driving a significant uptick of planned daily operations this summer compared to last summer.
The FAA now stepping in, saying it's too much, calling on air carriers to reduce their flight schedules.
The apparent over-scheduling is a direct result of a turf war at O'Hare between the airport's two largest carriers United Airlines and American Airlines.
SEE ALSO | FAA to ask airlines to reduce flights at Chicago's O'Hare airport this summer
Both adding flights in an effort to earn more gates at O'Hare.
In a memo to employees American pointed the finger squarely at United saying their "scheduling required action from the FAA."
When ABC7 reached out to United Airlines, they declined to respond.
"Each one are worried that the other one is going to get an edge. And the sense is at American, if United gets too big, they'll be, in effect, not be able to compete with that," DePaul University Aviation Expert Joe Schwieterman said. "So, there's a lot of allegations that United is expanding, you know, just to try to exert its dominance, rather than chasing profits."
Schwieterman said O'Hare is the only airport in the world with two major hub operators running side-by-side.
Gate allocation at O'Hare is determined by an airline's flight frequency from the previous year, incentivizing airlines to add flights to win more terminal space.
"I like seeing competition but if it results in other complications eventually that'll straighten itself out. It's going to happen," traveler Ken Logtenberg said.
The increase in competition also coming in advance of O'Hare's planned expansion intensifying the battle for positioning between airlines.
"We have so many regional jets with less than 100 seats, and that's kind of clogging our runway. So all that's kind of coming to a head now, can this two-hub model be sustained," Schwieterman said.
The meeting in Washington could last multiple days until a final order is issued.
While American Airlines has said: "The FAA now has the opportunity to achieve an improved customer experience for passengers traveling from, to, and through Chicago this summer."
United says they share "their commitment to running a safe and reliable operation out of ORD and look forward to a collaborative discussion."
The Chicago Department of Aviation said they will work with the FAA, adding that O'Hare is well equipped to handle any future traffic growth.
FAA, airlines meet amid order to reduce flights at O'Hare airport