Air Traffic Control Center briefly closed after COVID exposure. MIA, FLL impacted
Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport were among the airports impacted Monday while the Jacksonville Air Traffic Control Center in Hilliard was closed for about two hours.
The center had to be closed for a thorough cleaning after an employee tested positive for COVID-19, the Federal Aviation Commission confirmed. It closed around 4 p.m. and resumed operations at 6 p.m.
Problems at one airport can cause a ripple effect at others.
“The FAA has a robust contingency plan for every air traffic control facility, and remains positioned to quickly address the effects of the COVID-19 public health emergency,” said Kathleen Bergen, an FAA spokeswoman, in a statement. “The agency continually monitors controller staffing and traffic demand, and remains in close contact with airports, airlines and other stakeholders so we can prioritize our resources to meet the greatest demand.”
While the center was closed, “the FAA implemented traffic management programs between 4:20 and 6 p.m. to handle flights on the limited routes that avoided the center’s airspace.”
Miami International Airport alerted travelers to the delays via Twitter, and directed them to check with individual airlines.
At about 4 p.m., Jacksonville International Airport said on Twitter that the center would be “temporarily closing this afternoon into the evening, which may cause extensive delays and/or cancellations.“
This story was originally published January 4, 2021 at 9:00 PM.
