Ground stop at DC area airports?

[AverageOldGuy]

Daughter is attorney, lives on Capitol Hill in DC. She was buried in work today but now she tells me that for some time this afternoon there was a ground stop at Washington National (also called Reagan National), Dulles International, Baltimore-Washington International (BWI), and Richmond VA International.

Regional air traffic control is in Warrenton, VA -- daughter says story is there was a "chemical odor" at the Warrenton ATC that caused them to empty the building.

I don't find anything on the networks, CNN, or MSNOW. Anyone else hear this?

[SheltieLover]

1. Yes. Link to Yo's post

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100221096048

Ty, Yo!

[AverageOldGuy]

2. Just checked my flight tracking application

Washington National, BWI, and Dulles all experiencing 1 to 1.5 hour delays. Richmond operating okay.

Delay could mean there was a ground stop earlier.

[Ocelot II]

3. Google it again, it's all over the news outlets.

The cause of the smell hasn't been determined but it is said to have affected some of the air traffic controllers.

[surfered]

4. This has been reported at several airports

[Wiz Imp]

5. There's an article on CNN

https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/13/us/washington-dc-airports-ground-stop
Passengers face hours-long delays across DC-area airports after equipment malfunction at air traffic control center