All air travel operations were temporarily suspended at a prominent airport in Washington DC, as confirmed by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Departures from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were abruptly halted for more than an hour starting at 11:18 am ET, following reports of a possible “bomb threat.” The primary runway was reopened at 12:50 p.m., allowing flight operations to resume, as per the airport authorities.
Passengers were observed being evacuated from an airplane situated on the runway. The FAA verified that the aircraft is currently positioned away from the terminal while investigations are ongoing.
Subsequently, flight operations have recommenced at the airport. Nonetheless, the FAA disclosed that departing flights are encountering an average delay of 51 minutes, with some facing delays of over two hours.
According to reports from AirLive, the alleged threat was directed towards United Airlines flight UA512 arriving from Houston IAD. The aviation news source added that the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft had been relocated from the terminal vicinity as authorities proceed with their inquiries.
The Federal Aviation Administration, the regulatory body overseeing civil aviation safety in the US, has issued an official statement regarding the incident.
A video clip from the scene depicts a gathering of law enforcement personnel positioned behind a United Airlines plane on the runway, as reported by CBS affiliate WUSA.
CNN correspondent Pete Muntean, specializing in aviation coverage, attributed the flight suspensions to “a bomb threat targeting an aircraft.”
Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 indicated that flight activities were paused due to an unconfirmed threat specifically targeting a United Airlines plane, which was subsequently isolated from other aircraft at the airport.
All flight operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were halted as of 11:18 am ET, following the issuance of a security emergency declaration at 11:30 am ET.
