Flights resume at Washington airports after chemical odor disruption | Fox Business

Check out what's clicking on FoxBusiness.com. A ground stop issued at several airports in theWashington, D.C., region on Friday has been liftedafter a chemical odor disrupted air traffic control operations. The temporaryground stopaffected Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI) and Richmond International Airport (RIC), according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) later downgraded the alert to ground delays for the Washington-area airports as operations gradually resumed. FUEL CRISIS FORCES AIRLINES TO ANNOUNCE MAJOR FARE INCREASES, FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS AS IRAN CONFLICT ESCALATES Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy during a news conference in Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, N.J., Nov. 24, 2025.(Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images) The FAA website showed significant delays as of 8:40 p.m. Friday, including average ground delays of about 222 minutes at DCA and more than 150 minutes at BWI. Earlier in the day, Duffy said the FAA was investigating a strong odor detected at the Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility, which managesair trafficin the area.. "[FAA] is working to address the source of a strong odor coming from Potomac TRACON that is impacting operations at the three airports," he said. MAJOR AIRPORTS ISSUE GROUND STOPS DUE TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER STAFFING SHORTAGES AMID GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN An FAA air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va., Oct. 28, 2025.(Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images) TRACON, located in Warrenton, Virginia,provides air traffic control services across the Baltimore-Washington and Richmond-Charlottesville areas, accordingto FOX 5. An FAA spokesperson confirmed the ground stop was implemented after a strong chemical smell at the facility affected some air traffic controllers. "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 someair traffic controllers," the spokesperson said. AUSTIN AIRPORT GRIDLOCK: SECURITY LINES STRETCH OUTDOORS AS DHS SHUTDOWN HITS ONE-MONTH MARK Passengers walk at Dulles International Airport Nov. 12, 2025, in Washington, D.C.(Sha Hanting/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images / Getty Images) Airport officials said flights are now resuming, though passengers should expect lingering delays as airlines work through the backlog. CLICK HERE TO GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO "Airlines are once again resuming regular operations and preparing departures. Expect residual delays this evening," BWI Airport said in a post on X. "For flight-specific updates, please confirm flight status with your airline. We appreciate the patience of passengers impacted by the delays."