WASHINGTON – Air traffic at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will now come to a complete stop whenever the president flies to and from the White House on Marine One, following a new policy aimed at enhancing airspace security, the Washington Post reports.

New FAA regulations

What they’re saying:

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the change after reports from the Post indicated that commercial flights would be temporarily halted during presidential helicopter travel. The policy follows a deadly midair collision near the airport.

In a statement, the FAA said, “The new policy provides exceptions for lifesaving medical support, active law enforcement, active air defense or presidential helicopter missions. We will review the current policy once [the National Transportation Safety Board] completes its preliminary investigation.”

Travelers at DCA had mixed reactions to the expected delays.

“I’m sure it’s an inconvenience, but certainly you have national security at hand … it wouldn’t bother me,” said Dustin Walters, a traveler from Johnson City, Tennessee.

The new restrictions come weeks after a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines jet, killing 67 people. 

In response, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton is calling for the Department of Defense to permanently stop transporting VIPs by helicopter in the National Capital Region, except for the president, vice president, and national emergencies.

In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Norton urged the Pentagon to halt helicopter transports, arguing that government officials’ convenience should not come before aviation safety.

However, former U.S. Army Black Hawk pilot Elizabeth McCormick said the congresswoman’s demand is “unrealistic.”

“What happens is … even when we were flying cross-country for a mission, we would have to stop and refuel. And there aren’t always military bases where we can do that,” McCormick said. “Most helicopter pilots receive an FAA rating and go through schooling and testing to be rated to fly airspace.”

Despite the pushback, Norton has requested a written response from the Department of Defense by March 11.