DENVER — Air traffic in and out of Denver International Airport was impacted Tuesday afternoon following COVID-19-related cleaning procedures at an FAA facility on airport grounds, a DIA spokesperson confirmed to Denver7.
DIA said they were in a ground stop for only a few minutes around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. The airport was on a ground delay or traffic management up until 6 p.m., delaying inbound traffic.
The stop happened due to covid-19-related cleaning in an FAA facility on airport property after an FAA employee tested positive for the virus. Air controllers were moved into a backup room to clean the main room. Officials said the cleaning did not happen at the airport terminals or at the control tower.
A DIA spokesperson estimated that nearly 200 planes were delayed and 45 were canceled during the transition.
Denver7 spoke with a mother who says her son was pulled off his plane and told there would be a delay due to weather.
“We all understand what happens with COVID and the shutdowns and everything, but it’s less scary knowing that’s what it was as opposed to trying to figure out, well why are the shutting down the airport and not telling us why?" said Kelly Suchey.
She says DIA AND the FAA should have been more transparent about what was going on.
So Far, four FAA employees have tested positive for COVID-19.