Trump Marine One helicopter trip disrupts flights at Washington airport

Trump Marine One helicopter trip disrupts flights at Washington airport


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At least two dozen flights headed to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were impacted on Friday by recent rules barring flights during presidential helicopter trips.

The Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, following a January 29 collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet that killed 67 people, adopted new rules effectively barring flights to the busy airport just outside the nation’s capital when the Marine One helicopter is transporting the president.

According to Flight tracking site, Flightradar24, ten flights on Friday night were diverted to other airports and more than a dozen others were held during a 38-minute period without arrival flights.

It was gathered that most flights were diverted to nearby Dulles International Airport, which, like Reagan National, is located in northern Virginia near Washington, while two were sent to Pittsburgh.

Some airlines are said to have told pilots to carry extra fuel because of the policy.

The FAA has indefinitely barred most helicopter flights near Reagan National Airport and is only allowing police, medical and presidential transport helicopters.

According to the FAA, those restrictions will continue at least until the National Transportation Safety Board issues a preliminary report on the recent collision, which is expected in March.

The Washington Post had reported on February 14 that a helicopter trip carrying President Donald Trump resulted in about 30 airliners bound for Reagan National having to circle for a period of time and at least nine aircraft being diverted to other airports.

DAILY POST reports that Reagan National is home to the single busiest runway in the United States, and served 26.3 million passengers in 2024.





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