The FAA’s air traffic control tower at John Wayne Airport in Orange County closed Friday because a control manager was presumed positive for COVID-19 after being tested, an airport spokesperson said.
The results of the employee’s test are unconfirmed, but the tower was closed as a precaution, John Wayne Airport Public Affairs Manager Deanne Thompson said.
All air traffic will be handled through a regional control center.
Although the general aviation runway at John Wayne Airport is closed, the commercial runway remains open, Thompson said.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a statement last week about how they would proceed amid the increased COVID-19 cases across the nation.
“Our air traffic system is resilient and flexible. Every air traffic control facility in the country has a contingency plan to keep air traffic moving safely when events impede normal operations. In some cases, this means transferring duties to adjacent facilities,” a portion of the statement read.
Passengers were urged to check fly.faa.gov for real-time updates.