FAA Orders Ground Stops for D.C. Area Airports

On Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initiated ground stops for flights heading to several airports around Washington, D.C. This decision came after a major air traffic control facility in Virginia was evacuated.

The impacted airports include Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), Washington Dulles International (IAD), Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall (BWI), Charlottesville Albemarle, and Richmond International Airports. FAA data indicates that DCA faced ground delays from 7:48 a.m. to 11:59 a.m. local time, averaging a delay of 73 minutes. Meanwhile, flights leaving BWI were experiencing about 15 minutes of delays, with those numbers expected to rise.

Officials pointed out that the FAA manages air traffic across the region, suggesting that there could be flight-related issues both on the ground and in the air. They are closely monitoring the situation and will share updates as necessary.

According to CNN aviation correspondent Pete Muntean, the evacuation led to an immediate switch to “ATC ZERO,” meaning operations at the radar center came to a complete standstill. The Potomac TRACON facility manages air traffic across approximately 20,000 square miles, making it critical for travel in and out of the capital.

The disruption arose from an “environmental” incident at the Potomac Integrated Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility in Warrenton, Virginia. Earlier this month, a strong chemical smell at the TRACON forced a brief evacuation, leading to ground stops at major D.C. airports and significant disruptions in air traffic.