The Federal Aviation Administration will reduce the maximum number of flights that can arrive at Reagan National Airport to address safety concerns, Reuters reported.
The change comes in the aftermath of a plane crash that killed 67 people last Wednesday. The accident was the deadliest in the U.S. since 2001.
According to Reuters, a memo was sent to airlines on Wednesday notifying them of the change. It stated that arrivals would be reduced from 28 to 26.
The reduction will “will reduce risk and allow a little space for extra coordination,” the memo said. It noted that the change will also increase average delays at Reagan National from 40 minutes to 50 minutes.
The memo said that the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board have expressed concern about the well-being of traffic controllers “who have an increased level of stress while also having a front row view of the accident recovery.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has removed all major pieces of the wreckage from the Potomac crash site. All 67 bodies have now been recovered.
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
