The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Friday night lifted a ground stop that had halted traffic at the three primary Washington-area airports for several hours after air traffic had to halt work because of a strong chemical smell tied to a circuit board that overheated. The FAA said the issue disrupted operations at Potomac Consolidated Terminal RADAR Approach Control, which controls airspace over numerous airports in the Washington region. ADVERTISEMENTThe issue had earlier prompted the FAA to stop traffic at Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia and Baltimore-Washington International Airport in Maryland, all serving the Washington area. The ground stop also affected Richmond International Airport in Virginia. The issue snarled traffic during the busy U.S. travel period when students are on spring break.

Source: The Telegraph March 14, 2026 05:37 UTC