All flights in and out of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were halted Tuesday after authorities received a bomb threat, according to federal officials.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on X that the threat targeted a United Airlines flight traveling from Houston, Texas, to the Washington, D.C., area airport.
As a precaution, all other flights were temporarily grounded while the Boeing 737 was directed to an isolated section of the airfield. United Airlines and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said the 89 passengers and six crew members safely disembarked.
Passengers and crew were transported by bus to the terminal.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office confirmed that its National Capital Response Squad investigated the threat but found no hazardous materials. Law enforcement agencies continue to investigate the source of the threat, authorities said.
Airport operations resumed around 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time, according to Duffy, who thanked law enforcement for what he called a “swift and professional” response.
Before the ground stop was lifted, the Federal Aviation Administration reported that departing flights faced an average delay of 51 minutes, with some delayed more than two hours.
The disruption came amid mounting challenges for air travel nationwide, as flight delays have increased during the ongoing federal government shutdown that has left air traffic controllers working without pay.
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