America’s 250th birthday delayed some travelers Friday, as a scheduled flyover grounded flights that didn’t lift off from Reagan National Airport on time.
Air traffic control audio appears to indicate several flights didn’t make it before the ground stop and had to wait to take off until after the flyover.
“We gotta get these aircraft,” can be heard on the audio. “They were trying to push back to the gate; they couldn’t make the time. So, once these aircraft get back in time, we’ll go ahead and take the air control closure.”
News4 reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration to find out what happened but received an autoreply about the Fourth of July ground stop, saying they’ve been coordinating it with stakeholders for months. They did not answer News4’s question.
United Airlines and American Airlines said they scheduled flights around the ground stop.
On Saturday, there will be no flights in or out of Reagan between noon and midnight as more flyovers celebrate Independence Day. The Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority warned travelers of potential disruptions due to other large events over the summer.
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