Departures to Washington D.C. area airports suspended due to communications system repairs

Another 25% of arriving flights to Washington Reagan – 104 were delayed and 7% cancelled, or 32.

Flight departures to airports in the Washington D.C. area were suspended on Sunday while repairs were being made to a communications system at a radar approach control facility, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

"The facility has switched to a backup system," the FAA said in a statement. "Flights from New York bound for D.C. are exempt and flights departing D.C.-area airports continue." Dulles and Reagan airports said separately on Twitter they were expecting flight delays due to the FAA ground stop and told passengers to check with their airlines for schedule updates.

FlightAware, a flight tracking website, said 30% of departing flights from Washington Reagan had been delayed, or 123, and 30, or 7% cancelled. Another 25% of arriving flights to Washington Reagan – 104 were delayed and 7% cancelled, or 32. Richmond airport said a ground stop was in place there and at a "number of other airports."

The FAA separately cited thunderstorms for ground stops at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta airport, Philadelphia airport, Newark's Liberty airport and New York's JFK and LaGuardia airports.