Dallas airport on Wednesday afternoon was emptied following the FAA request. The Dallas Regional Air Traffic Control Center required COVID-19 related sanitization. The two hours plus shut down followed several positive COVID-19 tests from personnel who work there and in other airspace control centers at various Dallas airports.
According to an FAA spokesperson: “An air traffic control center employs over 400 air traffic controllers, who work on rotating shifts to cover traffic. The controllers at ZFW are standing by for cleaning to complete, and the ground stop will be lifted once it is, which can happen at any time.”
FAA’s data, said 22 employees at the Dallas Regional Air Traffic Control Center tested positive for COVID-19 since June. That includes six positive test results both in November and December. The most recent positive test result was on Wednesday.
“The closed the airspace in and out of the DFW Airport lasted until 5:00 p.m. Central Time.”
Flights resumed at both airports around 17:30 on Wednesday, but both airports warned of knock-on effects and delays caused by the closure.