US flight chaos after Chicago air-traffic control arson

Air transit into and out of the city's bustling O'Hare International and Midway airports was completely shut down as a result of the blaze at the Federal Aviation Administration's facility in the town of Aurora, Illinois.
Almost 2,000 flights were canceled, including more than 1,500 from O'Hare, the airport said, leaving thousands of frustrated passengers stranded and unsure when they'd be able to travel.
According to a federal complaint, 36-year-old Brian Howard had posted a message on his Facebook page saying he was going to "take out" the control center and kill himself.
The complaint says Howard had worked as a contractor for about eight years and that he tried to set a fire in the basement, apparently using a gas can and towels.
Paramedics responding to the scene rescued Howard as he was in the process of cutting his own throat, the complaint states. He was taken to an area hospital.
Authorities told US media that the incident is not being treated as terror-related.
Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser to President Barack Obama, said federal authorities had joined the probe in the fire, as the resulting delays and cancellations snarled air transit not just in the immediate region, but across the country.
"An investigation is under way between federal, state, and local authorities and we will be hearing more from them as they have results," Jarrett, who like Obama hails from Chicago, told MSNBC television.
Jarrett warned that with air transit disrupted at one of America's busiest airports," there is going to be a lot of inconvenience and it's very, very frustrating."
By Friday evening, international flights were being allowed to land and depart from O'Hare, the airport said. It advised passengers planning to fly on Saturday to check their flight status before heading to the airport.