Four Major US Airports Halted All Flights For An Hour Due To 'Strong' Chemical Odour

Last Updated:March 14, 2026, 11:38 IST

Four airports serving Washington, DC, Baltimore, and Richmond halted flights for over an hour due to a strong chemical smell.

Four airports serving Washington, DC, Baltimore and Richmond, Virginia, halted all flights on Friday evening for over an hour because of a strong chemical smell that was impeding air traffic controllers, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The ground stop affected Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, Baltimore-Washington International Airport and Richmond International Airport, FAA Secretary Sean Duffy announced on social media Friday.

The declaration caused flight delays to soar to roughly two hours across some of the busiest airports in the country.

Flights began to leave the airports after 7 pm ET on Friday, but the ground stop — which prevents planes from landing at an airport — remained in place.

News world Four Major US Airports Halted All Flights For An Hour Due To 'Strong' Chemical Odour

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