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.

Children's clothing company 77kids is introducing a new holiday program called WISH4SNOW that will benefit eight children's hospitals across the country, including WakeMed.

Starting today, shoppers at the country's 77kids stores will be invited to make a 77-cent donation to the program with each in-store purchase. 77kids, which is an offshoot of the popular American Eagle Outfitters company, opened a store in Raleigh's Crabtree Valley Mall last month. Shoppers who make the donation will receive a "Ya Done Good, Kid" badge and bumper sticker.

Shohppers will also be able to make "virtual snowflakes" on www.77kids.com. The company wants to have 100,000 snowflakes made online by Dec. 14. People who make a snowflake will be automatically entered in a daily drawing to win a $77 gift card or the grand prize of a winter block party. If the 100,000 snowflake goal is rached, American Eagle will donate $25,000, which will be split evenly among the eight participating hospitals.

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.

American Eagle Outfitters announced this morning that it will open 77kids, its brand aimed at children 12 and under, at Crabtree Valley Mall in Raleigh. It is one of seven 77kids stores that the company is opening and the only one announced for North Carolina.

In addition to mini versions of typical American Eagle clothing, the stores will be designed to appeal to kids. Expect games projected onto the floor and interactive touch screens that let children select outfits that will then appear on them virtually like digital paper dolls.

In addition, American Eagle is launching a brand called little77. For babies up to 18 months, the line features trendy denim, graphic tees and hoodies. Those items also will be available in the 77kids store.

Sandra Geist, marketing director for Crabtree Valley Mall, said there wasn't a definite opening date for 77kids yet but expected it would be open by fall. It will go into the Martin + Osa space that recently closed.

Martin + Osa was an American Eagle brand aimed at customers older than the company's core teen clientele. It never took off and the company announced in March that it was closing all 28 of those stores.

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."