Positive COVID-19 Test at Dallas Airport Control Facility Causes Flight Delays

Dallas airports delayed incoming and outgoing flights on Wednesday, December 30, after a positive COVID-19 test and severe weather forced a group stop by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). An airplane announcement said there would be a delay due to a “COVID issue” relating to the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) air traffic control causing a two-hour delay. This video posted by Shannon Self shows the announcement on a flight from Houston to Dallas Love Field (DAL) airport. The FAA said, air traffic delays in and around Dallas-Fort Worth were due to an air traffic control employee testing positive for COVID-19 as well as convective weather. A ground stop was called and controllers were evacuated from the control facility while cleaning was undertaken. The DFW had also announced its airspace closure due to a required sanitization cleaning of offsite FAA facilities. Air traffic at the DFW resumed at 5 pm, and the stoppage was lifted for DAL at 5.20 pm, according to statements released by the respective airports. Flightradar24.com published a timelapse video showing air traffic not entering or leaving Dallas airspace while the incident was occuring. Credit: Shannon Self via Storyful Via news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site https://www.news.com.au