FAA says traffic resumes at Washington area airports
Last edited Sat Mar 28, 2026, 04:40 AM - Edit history (2)
Source: Reuters
WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said traffic was resuming at the three primary Washington, DC-area airports late on Friday after a strong chemical smell forced the evacuation of an Virginia air traffic control facility.
The FAA said controllers had returned to the Potomac Consolidated Terminal RADAR Approach Control or TRACON, which controls airspace over numerous airports in the Washington region.
The FAA issued ground stops at Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles, Baltimore and smaller airports in Charlottesville and Richmond around 6:40 p.m. EDT before lifting them about 90 minutes later.
The FAA said there would be continuing delays as air traffic returns to normal. FlightAware said 30% of arriving flights at Baltimore and National were delayed and 13% at Dulles.
The incident was the second time in two weeks an odor at the air traffic facility in Warrenton, Virginia has snarled air traffic.
Another strong smell prompted the FAA on March 13 to halt air traffic. The FAA said then it had halted traffic because of a strong chemical smell tied to a circuit board that overheated, which had prompted fire departments to respond.
Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese and Lincoln Feast.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/faa-halts-traffic-washington-area-airports-over-odor-facility-2026-03-28/
Prior story
Source: Reuters
WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration halted traffic at the three primary Washington, DC-area airports late on Friday after an odor was detected at a Virginia air traffic control facility, the agency said.
The FAA said the odor forced the evacuation of Potomac Consolidated Terminal RADAR Approach Control or TRACON, which controls airspace over numerous airports in the Washington region. The FAA issued ground stops at Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles, Baltimore and smaller airports in Charlottesville and Richmond around 6:40 p.m. EDT.
It is the second time in two weeks an odor at the facility in Warrenton, Virginia has snarled traffic.
A person briefed on the matter said the odor was a burning smell that appeared similar to an issue that prompted the FAA on March 13 to halt air traffic. The FAA said on March 13 it had halted work because of a strong chemical smell tied to a circuit board that overheated.
Flightradar24, a flight tracking site, said inbound flights are holding or diverting. The airports have not had a departure since 6:40 p.m. EDT. The FAA said an update was expected around 8 p.m. EDT.
FlightAware said 25% of flights at Baltimore and National were delayed and 11% at Dulles.
Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/faa-halts-traffic-washington-area-airports-over-odor-facility-2026-03-28/
mahatmakanejeeves has provided this link down thread https://wtop.com/local/2026/03/ground-stops-at-all-3-major-dc-area-airports-lead-to-more-delays/ It provides some insights.
The antique old equipment is giving up the ghost but we're building a ballroom.
= new reply since forum marked as read
Just think of all those Congress critters trying to leave DC, have to wait it out our go ground.
because of the restricted airspace in that area, that entails landing and taking off ............no ifs or and's about it.............but in this country there is "guy" that has fetish of putting his name on currency............
The emergency truck hit the runway because there was an awful smell but unfortunately another plane was landing at the same time. Bad luck for everyone concerned! But the initial call was over some kind of bad smell, am I right?
