Flight Ground Stop Issued at Washington Airport Amid Bomb Threat

WASHINGTON, D.C. — All flights in and out of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) were halted Tuesday following a bomb threat on a flight, prompting a ground stop issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The ground stop, effective from 11:18 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ET, caused significant disruptions, with about 820 flights affected. Travelers witnessed planes circling the airport as others diverted to different locations during the halt.

A traveler at the airport shared a video that showed emergency vehicles surrounding a parked United airplane. The situation unfolded just as U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned about the consequences of the ongoing government shutdown on the airline industry.

‘If you bring us to a week from today, you will see mass chaos, you will see mass flight delays,’ Duffy stated. Today marks the 35th day of the government shutdown, resulting in air traffic controllers and TSA agents being absent due to unpaid wages, leading to widespread airport delays across the country.

Although the FAA reported a ‘medium’ probability for extending the ground stop, officials clarified that the halt was not due to staffing shortages but rather a security matter. In FAA terminology, ‘security’ encompasses various situations, including threat investigations and terminal evacuations.

Maximum delays at DCA reached 66 minutes, with an average delay of 33 minutes. The ground stop affected flights from various regional air traffic centers, including those in New York, Washington, Atlanta, and others.

The bomb threat incident followed an already tense situation in the aviation industry, where staffing shortages due to the government shutdown have caused delays and disruptions nationwide. As the FAA continues to assess the situation, travelers are advised to stay updated on their flight status.

This story is still developing, and more updates will follow.