'Remember Meigs Field'

The destruction of this hugely popular Chicago airport has become a battle cry for general aviation airports.

Wednesday, March 30, 2022 at 01:23 PM ET

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Meigs Field was built shortly after World War II. [FLYING Archives]

Key Takeaways:

Merrill C. Meigs Field, a busy general aviation airport near downtown Chicago, was controversially and abruptly destroyed overnight on March 30, 2003, by order of Mayor Richard M. Daley.
The destruction, carried out by gouging the runway, sparked widespread outrage in the aviation community and was initially justified by the mayor with later-debunked security concerns.
The illegal closure resulted in Chicago being fined by the FAA and led to the "Meigs Legacy Provision," which significantly increased penalties for municipalities closing airports without proper notice.
Meigs Field's demise became a powerful symbol and rallying cry for aviation groups, serving as a cautionary tale about the vulnerability of general aviation airports.