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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Gary Fields

Washington-area airports halt flights due to chemical smell at air traffic center

Travel Delays - (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Airports serving Washington, D.C., Baltimore and some cities in Virginia briefly halted all flights Friday evening because of what federal authorities said was a strong chemical smell at the flight center that controls traffic into the airports.

According to a spokesperson with the Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily stopped traffic at at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport and Richmond International Airport because of a the chemical odor at the Potomac TRACON.

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