Impact of ground stops on airports, including BWI

LINTHICUM, Md. – A strong chemical smell that affected air traffic controllers prompted a ground stop at multiple airports, including Baltimore’s.

Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is among several airports where a ground stop has been in effect since late Friday afternoon. The stop is expected to last until at least 8 p.m.

Flight delays of more than an hour have been reported. Other airports along the East Coast also impacted included Washington Dulles International, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Richmond International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, Charlottesville Albemarle Airport, Manassas Regional Airport/Harry P. Davis Field and others.

The affected airports are under the same air traffic control center in Washington, D.C., and the ground stops are having ripple effects across the nation.

The Federal Aviation Administration’s website listed the ground stop, citing an equipment outage. An FAA representative sent a statement to WBAL-TV 11 News at 6 p.m., referring to the Potomac Consolidated Terminal RADAR Approach Control (TRACON).

“The FAA has temporarily stopped traffic at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) because of a strong chemical smell at the Potomac TRACON that is impacting some air traffic controllers.”

Transportation Security Administration lines were still operating at BWI-Marshall through the ground stop. Asked for comment, a BWI-Marshall representative referred WBAL-TV 11 News to the FAA. This developing report will be updated.