WASHINGTON
Airports serving Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and parts of Virginia briefly halted flights Friday evening after federal authorities reported a strong chemical odor at the air traffic control facility that manages the region’s airspace.
The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily paused traffic at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport, and Richmond International Airport due to the smell at the Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control, or TRACON, according to a Department of Transportation spokesperson.
The Potomac TRACON is a key facility that handles incoming and outgoing air traffic for the region, according to the FAA website.
FAA spokeswoman Kristen Alsop said Friday that controllers were returning to their posts and that normal flight operations were expected to resume shortly.
In a post on the social platform X, Baltimore-Washington International Airport confirmed that the FAA’s ground stop had been lifted, though officials warned that “some residual flight delays can be expected this evening.”
By James Kisoo
