Washington airport ground stop strands thousands during Iraqi PM visit

Flights were halted for several hours on Tuesday, July 14, at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport from about 11 a.m. ET until around 3 p.m. ET, then shifted into a ground delay program that kept the disruption moving long after the stop was lifted.

More than 300 flights were delayed and at least 126 were canceled. Some inbound planes were diverted to Dulles International Airport and Philadelphia, while others already in the air were allowed to land and some aircraft on the ground were cleared to depart as the restrictions were timed around Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s motorcade.

The shutdown centered on al-Zaidi’s visit to Washington, where President Donald Trump hosted him at the White House and later extended the meeting by inviting him to lunch. It was al-Zaidi’s first international trip since taking office in May, and his first trip abroad as prime minister. The visit focused on bilateral relations, economic partnership, oil and gas deals, and broader investment cooperation.

Airport operations at Reagan National were affected by measures connected to the White House visit, and the Federal Aviation Administration did not immediately respond to inquiries about the ground stop.

Washington has been pressing Baghdad to curb Iran-backed militias and strengthen state control, while Iraq’s government has set an end-of-September deadline for some non-state armed groups to disarm. Al-Zaidi’s trip was also aimed at attracting U.S. investment after revenue losses caused by regional conflict and oil disruptions.