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Midway air traffic control tower closed due to coronavirus, flights diverted to Milwaukee

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MILWAUKEE — A shutdown due to Coronavirus at Midway Airport caused flights to be diverted to Milwaukee’s Mitchell International Tuesday. Three cases of COVID-19 were discovered in technicians that work in the tower forcing the FAA to shut it down.

A ground stop was issued for Midway which meant flights headed to the airport that hadn’t left their original airport had to stay there. Some that were already in the air had to be diverted. That included two Southwest flights that were sent to Milwaukee.

Southwest Airlines said the airline would make other arrangements for the passengers to get back to Chicago but would not elaborate on how that would happen. They did say the closure could cause a domino effect for other flights tomorrow.

Issuing a statement that read in part, “We will be working with a reduced schedule tomorrow due to the interruption today at MDW and the capacity of ATC moving forward.”

Southwest Airlines advised passengers to check with their airline before their flights Wednesday. The tower at Midway Airport will be cleaned and sanitized.

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