Stormy Skies: Atlanta Airport Faces Flight Delays on Busy Travel Day

ATLANTA – Christmas might be over, but the holiday travel season remains active, and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport officials are prepared for an exceptionally busy weekend.

It is forecasted that Friday will mark the peak of the entire holiday travel timeframe, with roughly 327,000 travelers expected to transit through the Atlanta airport during the day.

As per 8:30 p.m. data, FlightAware.com reports that three flights were canceled while 326 flights were delayed, averaging around 8% of the total traffic expected.

Because of storms, the FAA has issued notices of ground delays exceeding a half hour.

Overall, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expects to screen roughly 40 million travelers across the nation until Jan. 2, with close to 4 million of those journeying through Atlanta.

To manage the crowd, the airport has implemented measures including 18 new passenger information kiosks displaying security wait times. Airport representatives assure they have the personnel ready to handle the surge.

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The measures appear to be effective. As of Friday morning, travelers confronted wait times for security ranging from eight to 20 minutes.

As always, much of the airport experience hinges on being equipped for the crowds.

“I knew it would be busy. That’s why we arrived three hours early and plan to rest at the gate,” traveler Shaquana Cook shared with FOX 5’s Lindsay Tuman.

Airport authorities suggest that everyone should have an arrangement for parking, arrive at Hartsfield-Jackson with ample time, and pack properly to avoid complications during the security screening.

You can check the most recent security wait times here.

 

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