FAA resumes air traffic at Washington airports after chemical odor at control center

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) resumed landings at Washington, D.C.-area airports after a temporary suspension on Friday afternoon, when operations were halted due to a strong chemical smell detected at an air traffic control facility.

A few hours later, the issue had been resolved. Sean Duffy, Secretary of Transportation, said the source of the odor was a “circuit board that overheated.”

“Firefighters from Fauquier County and Prince William County confirm there is no danger to air traffic controllers, and they are returning to the Potomac TRACON. Thank you for your patience as we get flights up and running again,” he wrote on X.

Initially, the FAA said the disruption would affect Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

Because the Potomac control center manages air traffic flow to multiple airports across the Washington, D.C., region, the suspension also caused disruptions at other terminals that rely on the same control system.

“Flights resumed around 8 p.m. EDT, but FAA data showed BWI and DCA were still experiencing long delays as of 10 p.m. EDT, ranging from 2.5 hours to 3 hours,” The Hill reported.