Critical hotline between Pentagon and Reagan Washington National Airport cut off since 2022

A critical hotline linking air traffic controllers at Reagan National Airport with the Pentagon has been out of service since March 2022, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed on Wednesday.

Deputy FAA Air Traffic Control chief Franklin McIntosh told senators at a Commerce Committee hearing that the problem was only uncovered after air traffic controllers at Reagan National were forced to redirect two passenger planes when an unannounced Army helicopter neared the Pentagon.