Passengers face hours-long delays across DC-area airports as FAA investigates chemical smell at air traffic control center

By Alexandra Skores, CNN

(CNN) — Passengers at three airports in the Washington, DC, area are facing significant delays after a ground stop was issued Friday afternoon due to an equipment outage, according to the FAA and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who posted details on X.

Passengers at Washington Reagan National Airport were huddled at gates Friday evening as they awaited their flights, with several sprawled out on the floor. While the ground stop has since been lifted, delays at Baltimore have reached over two and a half hours, three hours at Dulles and more than three and a half hours at Reagan, according to the FAA, as the airports work to recover from the stop, which lasted about three hours.

Ground stops were also issued at Richmond International Airport, Charlottesville Albemarle Airport and Manassas Regional Airport in the TRACON’s coverage area, adding to the growing list of delays affecting travelers.

Duffy said the FAA is investigating a strong odor coming from Potomac TRACON, which provides air traffic control services to the Baltimore-Washington and the Richmond-Charlottesville areas. The TRACON controls the airspace over Andrews, BWI, Ronald Reagan, Dulles, Richmond and many other airports.

The TRACON is located in Warrenton, Virginia.

CNN Special Correspondent Jamie Gangel is one of the many passengers stuck at an airport.

Gangel said her flight back to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has been delayed at least four times this evening, and some of her fellow passengers are worried about missing connecting flights.

People are getting most of their information about what’s going on from their phones, Gangel said, as airline officials at the airport are simply telling passengers there is an air traffic control issue.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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