The second day of the FAA’s flight reduction order brought more headaches at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, as a ground stop due to storms added to the growing number of delays and cancellations.
Tracking cancelations at the Atlanta airport
The ground stop went into effect at 2:39 p.m. Saturday and was scheduled to last until 4 p.m.
It’s unclear which of the disruptions were caused by the FAA’s flight reduction order and which were weather-related. In total, the airport reported 582 delayed flights and 262 canceled flights as of 5:15 p.m., according to tracking website FlightAware.com.
By comparison, on Friday, 87 flights were canceled and 522 were delayed at Hartsfield-Jackson, according to FlightAware.
Flight delays at the Atlanta airport
Most of the flights delayed or canceled on Saturday were operated by Delta Air Lines and Endeavor Air, which operates Delta Connection flights.
As of 5 p.m. Saturday, 151 Delta flights had been canceled and 416 were delayed, according to FlightAware. Endeavor Air reported 58 canceled flights and 24 delayed flights.
For Delta, 140 of the canceled flights were departures from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and 116 were inbound to Atlanta.
Air traffic controller shortage
The airport is still facing an air traffic controller staffing shortage as well, according to the FAA.
Dan McCabe, vice president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) representing thousands of controllers in the Southern region, said the FAA flight reductions are a necessary safety measure. McCabe, a longtime Atlanta-area controller, said the government shutdown is taking a toll on workers, some of whom have been forced to miss work due to financial strain.
Airlines working with customers during shutdown
Airlines across the country are assisting customers affected by the changes. Most, including Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines, are easing change and refund policies to allow passengers more flexibility.
Atlanta airport security wait times
A positive note on flying out of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport: wait times don’t seem to be higher than average. According to the airport’s website, wait times are below 15 minutes at every checkpoint.
