Washington, March 14: A strong chemical odor reported at a key air traffic control facility in the Washington area led to the temporary suspension of flights at several airports on Friday, causing significant disruptions in air travel across the region.
The affected airports included Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Baltimore-Washington International Airport, and Richmond International Airport.
Aviation officials indicated that the odor originated from the Potomac Consolidated Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility in Virginia, which manages air traffic for airports in the Washington-Baltimore area and parts of Virginia.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is working to identify the source of the odor. He posted on social media platform X, saying, “The FAA is working to locate the source of the strong odor coming from Potomac TRACON and to normalize affected air operations.”
The FAA issued a temporary “ground stop” at the impacted airports, preventing aircraft from landing. Flights resumed later in the evening, although delays persisted as airlines worked to manage pending flights.
Officials reported that the decision to halt operations was made after complaints of a “strong chemical odor” emerged from within the Potomac TRACON facility, affecting the work of some air traffic controllers. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Potomac TRACON is a crucial radar approach control center that coordinates the movement of aircraft at several major airports in the U.S. capital region. It also provides air traffic control services for the Baltimore-Washington and Richmond-Charlottesville areas.
The flight suspension impacted airline schedules significantly. According to aviation data, nearly one-quarter to one-third of flights departing from the affected airports experienced delays after the ground stop was implemented.
Media reports indicated that passengers faced long wait times. Some travelers reported being stuck on the tarmac for extended periods, while others were asked to disembark as airlines awaited the resumption of normal flight operations.
By evening, flights gradually resumed, but delays in restoring normal operations in the busy regional airspace continued for some time.
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