WASHINGTON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - More than two dozen

flights headed to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were

impacted on Friday by recent rules barring flights during

presidential helicopter trips, flight tracking site

Flightradar24 said.

After a January 29 collision between an Army helicopter and

an American Airlines ( AAL ) regional jet killed 67 people, the

Federal Aviation Administration adopted new rules effectively

barring flights to the busy airport just outside the nation's

capital when the Marine One helicopter is transporting the

president.

Flightradar24 said 10 flights on Friday night were diverted

to other airports and more than a dozen others were held during

a 38-minute period without arrival flights.

Most flights were diverted to nearby Dulles International

Airport, which, like Reagan National, is located in northern

Virginia near Washington, while two were sent to Pittsburgh.

The FAA did not immediately comment on Friday.

Some airlines have told pilots to carry extra fuel because

of the policy.

The FAA

has indefinitely barred most helicopter flights near

Reagan National Airport and is only allowing police,

medical and presidential transport helicopters. The FAA has said

those restrictions will continue at least until the National

Transportation Safety Board issues a preliminary report on the

recent collision, which is expected in March.

The Washington Post reported that on Feb. 14, a

helicopter trip carrying President Donald Trump resulted in

about 30 airliners bound for Reagan National having to circle

for a period of time and at least nine aircraft being diverted

to other airports. The policy also impacted flights on other

days.

Reagan National is home to the single busiest runway in

the United States, and served 26.3 million passengers in 2024, a

new record.