Travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport faced a nightmare scenario on Saturday as severe storms triggered a wave of flight delays, cancellations, and widespread disruption during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.
The trouble began Friday night when powerful thunderstorms swept through the Atlanta area, bringing intense wind and hail. The chaos forced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue a ground stop at the airport and even temporarily evacuate the air traffic control tower. Some controllers remained in place to keep operations running as best they could.
According to flight tracking service FlightAware, 499 flights had been canceled as of Saturday, with another 845 delayed. Delta Air Lines, which is based in Atlanta, confirmed more than 90 flights were either delayed or diverted during the storm. Technicians worked through the night to inspect nearly 100 aircraft for hail damage, and most were expected to return to service by Saturday.
Travelers Stranded, Plans Derailed
Thousands of passengers were left stranded, many of them spending the night sleeping on airport floors. Channel 2’s Bryan Mims spoke with several weary travelers who described hours-long delays, missed connections, and no place to sleep.
Carol Nevin, who flew in from Chicago, missed her connecting flight to Johannesburg due to delays. With hotels booked solid, she had no choice but to try and rest in the terminal.
“We came back, went upstairs, put our stuff down, and slept,” Nevin said. “There were hundreds of people—I’ve never seen so many lying on the floor.”
Daren Ratajczak, attempting to return home to Wisconsin from Fort Lauderdale, found himself in Birmingham after his plane was diverted due to the storm. By the time he reached Atlanta in the early hours of Saturday, his connecting flight was already gone.
“All the flights are cancelled,” he told Mims. “We can’t get back to Appleton until Sunday or Monday.”
When asked what he would do in the meantime, he replied, “I don’t know—live in the airport like all these other folks.”
Patience is Essential
Some passengers took the ordeal in stride. Lillian Ransijn, who was delayed flying in from Chicago, said she sat on the tarmac for four hours after arriving in Atlanta.
“It’s needing to manage oneself and also everyone else around you,” she said. “Trying to get some sleep—it takes patience and a good attitude.”
A Perfect Storm Before the Holiday Rush
The timing couldn’t be worse. The disruptions come just as the Fourth of July travel period kicks into high gear. Airport officials expect more than 4 million travelers to pass through Hartsfield-Jackson over the holiday stretch, adding even more strain to recovery efforts.
As airline crews scramble to get planes back in the air and passengers to their destinations, travelers are being urged to check flight statuses frequently, pack extra patience, and prepare for delays.
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