Flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia were temporarily halted Tuesday afternoon after a bomb threat was made against a United Airlines flight arriving from Houston, prompting an immediate security lockdown and large-scale emergency response near the nation’s capital.
The incident began shortly before 11:30 a.m., when air traffic controllers received reports of an “unconfirmed bomb threat” targeting United Flight 512, according to air traffic audio reviewed by WUSA9. Controllers immediately ordered the aircraft to divert from the terminal and instructed pilots to move the plane to a remote area of the tarmac.
“We’ve got to get you away from the airport,” an air traffic controller was heard telling the flight crew. “Someone called and said there was a bomb on 512… they said if it landed, it would explode.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that a ground stop was issued, halting all inbound and outbound flights at the busy Washington, D.C.-area airport. Passengers aboard the aircraft were evacuated and bused to the terminal, while the plane was searched by federal and local law enforcement.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed in a post on X that the flight landed safely and that no hazards were found. “Passengers were evacuated, and law enforcement conducted a full search of the aircraft,” Duffy wrote.
By 12:50 p.m., airport officials announced that runways had reopened and normal flight operations had resumed. However, more than 120 flights were delayed, and several incoming aircraft were diverted to other airports during the investigation, according to data from FlightRadar24.
The FBI Washington Field Office later confirmed that its agents had completed a full sweep of the aircraft and found no explosives or threats on board. “The situation has been resolved safely,” the bureau said in a statement.
In an update on social media, Reagan National Airport officials said all operations had been paused “while passengers on a United Airlines flight were being offloaded and bused to the terminal.” The airport urged travelers to check with their airlines for the latest flight information and to expect residual delays throughout the afternoon.
The airport, located less than five miles from the White House and U.S. Capitol, remained under heightened security for several hours following the threat. A person briefed on the incident told Reuters that the response was conducted “out of an abundance of caution.”
United Airlines did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The temporary shutdown underscores the sensitive security environment surrounding the D.C. area, where air traffic disruptions are rare but taken extremely seriously given the airport’s proximity to key government buildings.
