More than 250 flights canceled at Atlanta's airport, 400+ delayed
Inside look at Delta Air Line's weather forecast center
Flight weather delays and cancellations can disrupt a trip. Delta Air Line meteorologists are working to keep flyers safe while trying to get travelers to their destination on time. FOX 5 Storm Team meteorologist Jonathan Stacey takes a behind-the-scenes look.
ATLANTA - More than 200 flights out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport had been canceled as of 8:45 a.m. Friday, according to FlightAware. Additionally, there were more than 170 flights flying in or going out that were delayed.
The majority of the flights belong to Delta, which is based out of Atlanta and has the most planes flying in and out of the airport. A Delta spokesperson confirmed the delays and cancellations are a result of the "ongoing severe summer weather."
Almost 250 cancellations were being reported by FlightAware at 1:15 p.m. Friday, with 406 delays. Almost all of the flights appear to belong to Delta.
Travelers should check with their individual airlines for current information.
ORIGINAL STORY
Thunderstorms across the East Coast wreaked havoc on air travel Thursday, grounding flights and stranding passengers across the country, with ripple effects hitting hard at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
A ground stop at Atlanta's airport further delayed issues with delays of over 2 hours.
Storms cause flight delays
What we know:
By late afternoon, average departure delays from Atlanta reached 30 minutes and were increasing, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA warned that a full ground stop or delay program could be issued depending on developing weather patterns.
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Flight delays in Atlanta
Local perspective:
The delays in Atlanta reflect a broader disruption in the nation’s airspace. According to FlightAware, more than 28,000 flights were delayed across the country on Thursday, with over 7,000 of those within, into or out of the United States. At least 1,803 flights were canceled nationwide, including 1,448 in the U.S.
In Atlanta alone, 424 flights were delayed and 53 were canceled by Thursday evening.
Delta, Atlanta’s largest carrier, reported 274 delayed flights and 18 cancellations. Other airlines heavily impacted at Hartsfield-Jackson included Southwest with 44 delays and 10 cancellations, and Frontier with 23 delays and 11 cancellations.
Delta jet makes emergency landing
Delta is doing damage control after another flight nightmare for passengers flying from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam Wednesday. Dozens of passengers are recovering after being battered and bruised mid-flight by severe turbulence.
Flooding rains cause delays along East Coast
Big picture view:
Major destinations out of Atlanta were hit with even more severe delays. Philadelphia International Airport reported average delays of up to 135 minutes, while flights into New York’s LaGuardia and JFK airports faced delays ranging from 90 to 120 minutes. Ground stops were in effect at several airports including Newark, Philadelphia, Reagan National in Washington, and Baltimore-Washington International.
The storms also unleashed flash flooding in the Northeast. In New York City, major roadways flooded and stranded drivers were seen standing atop submerged cars. Emergency responders in Baltimore rescued people from flooded vehicles, and Pennsylvania saw several inches of rain within an hour, flooding city streets and low-lying areas.
Officials across the Northeast urged residents to stay home unless travel was absolutely necessary. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman warned suburban Long Islanders to avoid evening travel, citing ongoing flood risks.
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Atlanta airport traffic
What's next:
Meanwhile, in Atlanta, air traffic remained backed up into the evening as airport operations struggled to adjust. While the city avoided the worst of the physical storm damage, its role as a central hub meant weather issues in other regions caused significant secondary impacts.
Check your flights
What you can do:
Travelers were advised to check with airlines for real-time updates and expect further disruptions into Friday as severe weather continues to affect flight routes up and down the East Coast.
The Source: The FOX 5 Storm Team, the FAA, and FlightAware provided the details for this article. The Associated Press contributed to this report. This story was updated Friday morning with current information.