The FAA stopped all arriving and departing planes out of DFW International Airport and Dallas Love Field after a COVID-19 case at its primary operations center for the region in Fort Worth.
The Federal Aviation Administration plans to reopen the facility at 5:30 p.m. after cleaning, according to a statement from agency spokeswoman Elizabeth Cory. It closed around 3 p.m., according to the FAA.
The stoppages have become routine since the COVID-19 pandemic began, but this halt comes during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Rain and heavy winds have also slowed air traffic into the region today.
Late afternoon Wednesday there were 181 delays and 15 cancellations at the two airports. It could have a ripple effect on national air traffic on Wednesday because DFW is the biggest hub for Fort Worth-based American Airlines. Dallas Love Field is one of Southwest Airlines’ biggest airports too and the home to its corporate headquarters.
There have been about 22 COVID-19 cases for employees at the FAA’s Air Route Traffic Control Center in Fort Worth. The facility is just south of DFW International Airport near American Airlines headquarters.
