A flight controller trainee at the Federal Aviation Administration's regional air traffic control center in Ronkonkoma, L.I., tested positive for Covid-19 Saturday, leading to a temporary halt in operations that at least temporarily grounded some flights.
The controller had last been in the control center on Thursday, according to an FAA statement.
"We have contacted local health authorities and we are developing a plan to quickly sanitize/clean the affected areas," the FAA said. "The center remains open and operational. The FAA has initiated traffic management initiatives for sectors closed during the sanitization process.
"Flights will be rerouted as part of a longstanding contingency plan to ensure continued operations. The center primarily handles high-altitude, cross-country flights. Each facility across the country has a contingency plan that has been recently updated and tested," the FAA statement said.
It wasn't immediately clear how many flights to and from Albany International Airport might have been affected. The airport reported a number of delays and cancellations, although these may have been due to airlines' efforts to reduce capacity, as boardings have plunged by 80 percent within the past week due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Airlines serve Newark International Airport from Albany, as well as Philadelphia, but Albany has no scheduled direct flights to either Kennedy or LaGuardia airports.
Albany International Airport spokesman Doug Myers said he believed the delays and cancellations at Albany likely weren't related to the air traffic slowdown.
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