Atlanta airport conditions | Travelers face long lines, flight cancelations in wake of winter storm

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport operations continue to try to catch up following cancelations and delays prompted by a historic winter storm, which brought snowfall to much of Georgia on Tuesday. 

Travelers have also been forced to wait for extended periods of time to pass through security and endure long waits for flights.

SEE ALSO: Black ice, icy roads in Atlanta overnight | The latest forecast

Is the atlanta airport open?

What we know:

Atlanta's airport remains open and operational despite multiple cancelations and delays.

By the numbers:

As of 5 p.m. on Wednesday, FlightAware reported that more than 800 flights were delayed and more than 440 inbound and outbound flights were canceled. 

What we don't know:

It remains unclear when airlines will catch up after Tuesday's winter storm. 

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Ice-coated runways and roads caused delays at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Jan. 22, 2025. (FOX 5)

What you can do:

Travelers should double-check the status of their flight before heading to the airport. Once there, security lines should be quick - which will be very different from what happened the day before. 

What they're saying:

Tameka Bolden told FOX 5's Kaitlyn Pratt that she had arrived that morning on a flight from Dubai, but wasn't able to get out of the airport.

"My car is at the dealership, so we weren't able to drive to go and get it," she said. "Couldn't get an Uber, couldn't get anything, so I'm home, but I'm stuck." 

The delays frustrated many passengers, including Princess Jauan Durbin, who was traveling to New York. "It’s empty outside, but as soon as you walk into the airport, it’s so many people, so many people," Durbin said. "I hurt my knee, so unfortunately, I’m in the special assistance line. The special assistance line is longer than the general boarding line. They are moving, and we have not moved at all."

Durbin remained empathetic despite the inconvenience. "It’s just unfortunate that we do not have the infrastructure to be able to protect us from icy weather," she said, urging everyone to prioritize safety during such events.

Atlanta airport security checkpoint delays

What we don't know:

The weather not only impacted travelers, but also workers attempting to get to their jobs amid icy conditions on Wednesday morning.

Travelers have also been forced to wait for extended periods of time to pass through security. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) attributed long security lines and wait times, which peaked earlier in the day, to a staffing shortage caused by impassable roads preventing many employees from reaching work. The staffing issues led to security wait times of up to 75 minutes.

The TSA deployed rideshare services to help employees get to the airport and officials are optimistic that conditions will improve as temperatures rise and roadways become more accessible.

The security checkpoint wait times improved throughout the day after more employees were able to get to work, but frustrations remained high among passengers.

What they're saying:

According to TSA spokesperson Mark Howell, many workers called out due to unsafe driving conditions on frozen roadways. Although TSA did not confirm the exact number of employees who missed their shifts, estimates ranged between 50 and 150.

"We did have a good number of weather callouts today. It’s causing some delays. We are managing it the best we can, and we are trying to get employees in, but we want to keep safety in mind," Howell explained. He noted that while TSA was able to staff 18 security lanes, at least 28 would have been ideal for the airport’s usual volume.

SEE ALSO: Savannah airport sees remaining flights canceled on Wednesday

Ohio State, Notre Dame fans try to get home

What we know:

Further compounding the backup at the world's busiest airport were fans from out of town who attended the College Football Playoff Championship on Monday evening. There were also multiple Martin Luther King, Jr. Day activities that saw travelers make the pilgrimage to metro Atlanta.

Despite airlines providing additional flights on Tuesday, thousands of travelers faced extremely long TSA security checkpoint lines, delays and cancelations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Tuesday.

Airport officials handed out bottled water, and kept everyone updated and had all the gates open.

Timeline:

Just before 7 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration reported a ground stop for all Delta Air Lines flights at the Atlanta airport due to snow and ice.

The ground stop lasted until just before 10 p.m.

By that time, 763 flights (over 500 from Delta) were delayed. There were 306 flights (125 from Delta) canceled.

Once the snow started falling in the afternoon, airlines delayed, or canceled, even more flights.

In anticipation of snow, the airport's maintenance team pre-treated the runway with deicier. Multiple crews are working around the clock to keep the airfield operational.

What they're saying:

"We made plans. We have been monitoring the weather, been monitoring the game, we've been monitoring all events. Keep in mind … we have the MLK holiday, so a lot of people come to Atlanta, obviously, to participate in that, to observe that. So, it was a very, very busy time,"  Airport Communications Manager Andy Gobeil said.

"We would wait in line for 24 hours if we could experience last night again, so we're not too upset," Carson Knabe said with a smile. 

"We probably will miss our flight. But, we are just gonna go with it. You live, and you learn," Alyssa Eshelman, a Notre Dame fan, lamented. 

"When we get a higher than expected volume of passengers who are coming through at the same time, there will be delays. We try to make sure they are comfortable," Gobeil said.

FOX 5 Atlanta reached out to Delta Air Lines for comment on the ground delay:

The airline says the ground delay program for incoming flights is to "meter in-bound traffic so as to not overcrowd the airfield and create taxi-in delays."

"Things are moving, and deicing is occurring," the spokesperson continued. "As the FAA site indicates, it’s set to expire at 10:59 p.m. local, but could end early."

The Source: This article compiles information from multiple sources including FlightAware, the Federal Aviation Administration, the FOX 5 Storm Team, Delta Air Lines, and officials at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. FOX 5 Atlanta reporters Aungelique Proctor, Tyler Fingert, and Kaitlyn Pratt contributed to this article. This article has been updated since it was originally published to provide new details.

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