Flights Resume at Reagan National After Bomb Threat Ground Stop

(Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)) Flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport resumed on November 4, 2025, after a 102-minute ground stop triggered by a bomb threat to a United Airlines flight that had just arrived from Houston. The Federal Aviation Administration issued the halt at 11:18 a.m., stopping all arrivals and departures across the busy airport, and reopened the main runway at 12:50 p.m. after authorities determined there were no hazards. The bomb threat, delivered by a robotic male voice demanding $500,000 in cryptocurrency and aimed at United Airlines Flight 512, forced emergency responders and law enforcement to isolate the aircraft and evacuate passengers while investigators swarmed the airfield.

United 512 landed at 11:30 a.m. with 89 passengers and six crew members on board, according to officials briefed on the response. The aircraft was moved to a runway away from the terminal near the Potomac River, where fire engines and police vehicles ringed the jet as teams prepared to offload those on board and check the cabin and cargo compartments. Passengers were bused to the terminal, and the plane remained cordoned off as police and federal agents carried out a full search.

The threat reached authorities through dispatch audio that captured a robotic male voice who said, “Someone called and said there was a bomb on 512. They said if it landed, it would explode—well, it landed.” As the situation unfolded, an air traffic controller alerted the cockpit crew to the developing emergency and ordered the aircraft repositioned.

“I’m sorry to have to do this to you. We’ve got to turn you again … We have an unconfirmed bomb report for your flight, and we’ve got to get you away from the airport,”

the controller told the United 512 pilot, according to recorded transmissions.

With the bomb threat in play, the FAA quickly implemented the ground stop at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, freezing both inbound and outbound traffic as the airport’s emergency plan swung into motion. On social media and in statements, the agency confirmed it was coordinating with federal and local partners to support the response.

“The FAA is aware of a reported security issue on an aircraft at Reagan Washington National Airport. Passengers have been removed and the aircraft is away from the terminal while authorities investigate,”

the FAA said. By early afternoon, the FAA lifted the hold and normal operations trickled back, though delays and diversions rippled across the region’s airspace.

The FBI’s specialist rapid response unit joined the case after the landing and evacuation.

“The FBI Washington Field Office’s National Capital Response Squad responded to reports of a bomb threat at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport today. No hazards were found. The FBI continues to work with our law enforcement partners on this investigation,”

the FBI Washington Field Office said. Investigators are examining the origin of the call, the use of a robotic voice, and the demand for $500,000 in cryptocurrency, details that point to a sophisticated attempt to cause maximum disruption with minimal exposure. For now, authorities have not announced any arrests or identified suspects, and the focus remains on tracing the communications that triggered the alarm.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said operations at DCA restarted after a full sweep of the aircraft and surrounding area.

“Earlier today a United flight from Houston to Washington D.C. received a bomb threat. The flight landed safely at DCA, passengers were evacuated, and law enforcement conducted a full search of the aircraft. The @FAANews has received the all clear and operations have resumed. I want to thank our brave men and women in law enforcement for their quick response,”

Duffy said. His remarks underscored the layered response that kept the aircraft isolated, moved passengers out safely, and brought the airport back online as quickly as investigators could clear the scene.

The sudden ground stop at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport caused broad knock-on effects across the mid-Atlantic. Several flights bound for DCA diverted to Washington Dulles and Baltimore/Washington International airports, while flights preparing to leave other cities held at their gates. Airlines and passengers reported average delays of 51 minutes, with some flights pushed back more than two hours as crews and dispatchers rebuilt their schedules around the closure. Inside DCA’s terminals, inbound travelers waited for updates as departures flickered from “on time” to “delayed,” and arriving passengers at other airports scrambled to adjust connections.

On the airfield, responders followed a well-rehearsed sequence used for in-flight bomb threats. The aircraft was parked clear of buildings and fuel depots, and ground crews positioned vehicles at a safe distance while law enforcement approached on foot. Explosive detection teams methodically checked the cabin, overhead bins, galleys, lavatories, and cargo holds, while technicians worked to secure evidence tied to the threat. Passengers and crew, removed from the plane away from the terminal, were transported by bus to an interior area under police supervision as authorities verified that no hazards remained.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police are leading the investigation, with assistance from the FBI and other federal partners. That joint approach is standard for threats involving civil aviation, with airport police coordinating the immediate response on the ground and federal agents taking the lead on criminal inquiries that may cross state lines or involve digital communications. The demand for cryptocurrency, together with the use of a robotic voice to deliver the threat, adds a layer of complexity for investigators who must sift call records, internet-based voice tools, and potential spoofing techniques to track where the message originated.

As the ground stop lifted and traffic resumed, officials emphasized that no injuries were reported and the aircraft’s passengers were safe. The FAA said the runway reopened at 12:50 p.m., marking the end of the 102-minute halt and the return to regular operations after the “all clear.” The FBI’s statement that “No hazards were found” helped steady nerves for travelers who had watched emergency vehicles fan out across the airfield and saw flights to the capital rerouted to distant gates. For people on delayed flights nationwide, the disruption highlighted how a single bomb threat tied to one aircraft can quickly ripple through the tightly timed web of airline schedules.

The precise mention of $500,000 in cryptocurrency reflects a broader trend seen by security experts, where anonymous, technology-enabled threats aim to extract money while complicating the traceability of perpetrators. Dispatch audio describing the robotic male voice aligns with those tactics, even as the prompt isolation of the aircraft and the swift evacuation reduced the risk to people on the ground. While the agencies involved have not provided further details about the call’s origin, the timeline suggests authorities moved quickly from notification to action: the landing at 11:30 a.m., the FAA’s ground stop formalized at 11:18 a.m., then the runway reopening at 12:50 p.m. when teams determined the plane and its surroundings were safe.

United Airlines has not released additional details about the crew’s communications, but the recorded air traffic exchange shows how controllers must balance safety with the need to keep pilots informed in real time.

“I’m sorry to have to do this to you. We’ve got to turn you again … We have an unconfirmed bomb report for your flight, and we’ve got to get you away from the airport,”

the controller said, steering the aircraft to a remote area as emergency vehicles converged. That moment crystallized the tension in the control tower and cockpit as a routine arrival became a security emergency.

For airport workers and first responders, the final confirmation that no hazards were present closed a tense chapter that had begun with the robotic voice and the reminder that any credible bomb threat must be treated as real until proven otherwise. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police will continue to coordinate with federal agents to trace the source of the call, review the aircraft’s handling after landing, and assess whether the threat fits patterns from similar incidents. With the airport fully open again, the focus turns to accountability and to any steps that might further harden procedures against such threats without slowing operations more than necessary.

Travelers looking for official updates on airport operations can check the Federal Aviation Administration’s advisories and airport status information through the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center, which posts nationwide ground stops, delays, and routing advisories. By early afternoon, the agency reported normal traffic flows through DCA as the backlog from the ground stop eased and diverted aircraft repositioned to complete their trips.

The airport’s quick return to service after the bomb threat underscored how standard security protocols, clear communications between the cockpit and the tower, and close coordination among the FAA, FBI, and airport police can compress a chaotic situation into a defined timeline. As Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport returned to normal, the investigation moved forward with a simple objective: identify who used a robotic voice to demand $500,000 in cryptocurrency and triggered a ground stop that delayed and diverted scores of flights, but ultimately failed to cause harm.