At this time, approximately 100 of Raleigh-Durham International Airport's 400 daily flights have been canceled for today.

In anticipation of Hurricane Irene, some airlines at Raleigh-Durham International Airport have begun canceling flights. American Airlines and American Eagle have canceled all flights scheduled for Saturday, August 27. American Airlines will resume operations on Sunday at 10 a.m. Here's more information:

Air travelers in eastern counties trying to reach the Windy City have a new choice for nonstop flights.

American Eagle, the regional sister of American Airlines, has started two daily flights between Wilmington International Airport and Chicago O'Hare.

The airline expects to draw business and leisure travelers, and the new service could create some competition for Raleigh-Durham International Airport among passengers in Eastern counties.

"There is plenty of demand in the Research Triangle region and eastern North Carolina to support additional service to Chicago," said RDU spokeswoman Mindy Hamlin.

The parent corporation of American Airlines has hired investment advisors to explore options for its American Eagle regional carrier, Bloomberg News reported, citing unnamed sources.

AMR Corp. could spin off American Eagle as a separate company, but a sale is still possible, Bloomberg reported. The evaluation could take more than six months.

A separation would divide two airlines that combined were the second-busiest carriers at Raleigh-Durham International Airport last year, just behind Delta and ahead of Southwest.

American Eagle will suspend its five nonstop daily flights between Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Boston on Sept. 7.

The carrier is ending the flights as part of its strategy of concentrating on flying to and from its "cornerstone" hubs in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas-Fort Worth and Chicago, said spokesman Ned Raynolds. The flights between RDU and Boston were not profitable last year, he added.

The move will creates hassles for local passengers flying to Boston, which is a hub for many biotechnology and technology companies. Raleigh-based Red Hat has offices in the Boston area, and Massachusetts-based Biogen Idec has operations in Research Triangle Park.

Any decline in competition can lead to higher prices and more scheduling headaches.

At Raleigh-Durham International Airport, the world's largest airline will still trail rivals Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

United and Continental announced this morning that they're joining forces to form United Continental Holdings. If the deal wins shareholder and antitrust approvals later this year, the company would pass Delta as the world's largest carrier.

But at RDU, the combined United Continental would still offer fewer flights than Delta, American or Southwest. From RDU, United offers direct flights to Washington Dulles and Chicago O'Hare, while Continental has nonstops to Houston, Cleveland and Newark.

In 2009, Continental handled 5.87 percent of the flights at RDU, while United handled 4 percent.

Delta merged with Northwest Airlines to take the top spot at RDU last year, with 24.12 percent of flights. American and American Eagle followed with 22.88 percent. Southwest was close behind with 21.25 percent.

It's too soon to tell how the United-Continental union will effect RDU, said airport spokesman Andrew Sawyer.

The carriers are merging with the goal of boosting revenue, especially from international and corporate travel. Consumer advocates have warned that reduced competition in the airline industry could hurt consumers.

American Airlines had said Tuesday that it would restore all service to the UK and Europe today. It didn't work out that way.

Lots of American jets are back in the trans-Atlantic sky as we speak. But RDU's round-trip to London Heathrow will not join them until Thursday.

"The RDU flights to London are not operating today, but they should be tomorrow," an American spokeswoman said by phone from Fort Worth this morning. "It's due to aircraft being out of place. It's positioning."

If you check American's flight status page (www.aa.com/gates/) you'll find Wednesday's RDU-LHR flights marked canceled, and Thursday's marked "on time." AA 173 is scheduled to arrive Thursday at 4:05 p.m., and AA 174 is scheduled to depart at 6:15 p.m.

Today is the seventh day American canceled its RDU-Heathrow flights because of hazards posed to jet engines by volcanic dust drifting across Europe from Iceland.
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Some European airports reopened for business, but London's airports were still offline today because of the hazards to jet engines posed by that pesky volcanic ash from Iceland.

So, for the sixth day, American Airlines canceled its daily round-trip flights between RDU and London Heathrow.

The shutdown grounded Flight AA173 from Heathrow to RDU, which would have arrived at RDU at 4:05 p.m. Likewise, Flight AA174, scheduled to leave RDU at 6:15 p.m., also was canceled. They're RDU's only trans-Atlantic flights.

Authorities said they didn't know how soon it would be safe to resume flights to London.

Because volcanic ash can make jet planes crash, American Airlines today canceled its round-trip pair of flights between London Heathrow and RDU International Airport.

Airports across the United Kingdom and much of Europe were shut down today to avoid the hazards of a giant ash plume blowing south and east from an Icelandic volcano. 

The shutdown grounded Flight AA173 from Heathrow to RDU, which would have arrived at RDU at 4:05 p.m. Likewise, Flight AA174, scheduled to leave RDU at 6:15 p.m., also was canceled. They're RDU's only trans-Atlantic flights.

Authorities said they didn't know how soon it would be safe to resume flights.

American Eagle Airlines plans to add nonstop service between Fayetteville and Dallas/For Worth International Airport, increasing competition for travelers in the Sandhills region.

The affiliate of American Airlines, which already offers nonstop service between its hub in Dallas/Fort Worth and Raleigh-Durham International Airport, will begin the new service in June.

American Eagle will offer two daily nonstops on 44-seat Embraer jets each way between Dallas/Fort Worth and Fayetteville Municipal Airport.

“Not only will we provide visitors from across the country with convenient access to the area's historic sites, universities and award-winning golf courses - but these new flights will also link military personnel from the U.S. Army post at Fort Bragg and nearby Pope Air Force Base with destinations throughout American's global network,” said Gary Foss, an American vice president, in a prepared statement.

RDU officials say there is plenty of demand for travel to the Dallas area from travelers in the Research Triangle region.

"We do not expect it to impact service or competition here," RDU spokeswoman Mindy Hamlin wrote in an e-mail. "We don't expect passengers to drive to [Fayetteville] from here since American offers daily service from RDU on its mainline aircraft."