All flights were temporarily suspended at a significant airport in Washington DC, as confirmed by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Departing flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were halted for over an hour starting at 11:18 am ET due to a reported bomb threat. The main runway was reopened at 12:50 pm, allowing flights to resume, according to airport officials.
Passengers were observed being escorted off an airplane on the runway, with the FAA ensuring the plane was relocated “away from the terminal.”
Although flights have now resumed, the FAA noted that departing flights are facing an average delay of 51 minutes, with some experiencing delays exceeding two hours.
Reports indicated that the alleged threat was directed at United Airlines flight UA512 arriving from Houston IAD. The aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was moved away from the terminal area for investigation.
The Federal Aviation Administration, the regulatory body responsible for civil aviation safety in the US, issued a statement regarding the incident.
Video footage from the scene depicted a group of law enforcement officers gathered behind a United Airlines plane on the runway, as reported by CBS affiliate WUSA.
CNN correspondent Pete Muntean, covering aviation matters, mentioned that the flight suspensions were due to a bomb threat targeting a plane.
According to FlightRadar24, flight operations were paused due to an unverified threat against a United Airlines aircraft, which was isolated from other planes at the airport.
All flight activities at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were on hold starting at 11:18 am ET, following a security emergency declaration at 11:30 am ET.