&w=3840&q=100)
Over 450 flights cancelled, several delayed as Atlanta's busiest airport faces wrath of severe storm
Over 450 flights were cancelled and several were delayed as of Saturday afternoon as Atlanta faces a severe storm during the holiday season read more
Hundreds of flights were cancelled and several were delayed after a severe storm wreaked havoc in Atlanta overnight. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is touted as the busiest airport in the world, and the storms are delaying flights at a time when people are rushing to get to their homes to celebrate the Fourth of July with their families.
According to FlightAware, more than 450 flights into and out of Atlanta were cancelled as of early Saturday afternoon. Delta, which uses the Atlanta airport as its hub, is suffering the most from cancellations. The airline company's 14 per cent of total flights, flying across the United States, were cancelled due to the Atlanta storm.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
'The airline is working to safely restore operations and assist customers impacted by the severe storms at our Atlanta hub Friday night,' Delta Airlines said in a statement to CNN. The airline warned that several hundred more cancellations are expected to occur over the weekend. 'Severe weather overnight is causing delays and cancellations,' the airport said Saturday in a post on X.
Heavy winds jolt Atlanta
Powerful winds in Atlanta prompted the evacuation of most air traffic controllers from the control tower Friday evening, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. FAA told CNN that a crew stayed to handle inbound planes.
Additionally, severe thunderstorms also brought quarter-inch hail to the city. As the storm takes over the city, more than 100 Delta aircraft require inspection before they are allowed to fly as a result, according to Delta's statement. The inspection was completed by Saturday morning. Delta stated that they expect 'continued disruption this weekend as we recover safely and as quickly as possible.'
The delays came as millions of people prepared to travel for the Fourth of July. According to AAA estimates, 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles or more from home during the holiday period, which starts from Saturday, June 28, until Sunday, July 6, with 5.84 million travellers expected to fly to their destinations.
As per the authorities, the Atlanta airport is expected to have nearly 400,000 passengers on Friday alone, and more than 4 million passengers over the holiday period. Last year, the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport served more than 100 million passengers, making it busier than London's Heathrow or the Dubai International Airport.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Tropical Storm Barry forms off Mexico; Florida eyes separate storm threat ahead of Fourth of July
Tropical Storm Barry formed Sunday morning off the coast of Mexico. But the US is watching a different system - one that could bring days of rain and storms to Florida later this week. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) shared that it is tracking an area of low pressure expected to develop near the southeastern US coast or the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Right now, forecasters give it a 20 per cent chance of turning into something more over the next seven days, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Tropical Storm Barry is nearing Mexico. Meanwhile, a separate low-pressure system poses a potential threat to Florida ahead of the Fourth of July.(Representative Image: Unsplash) The possible storm isn't organized yet. But the moisture it could bring already has weather officials concerned, especially with July 4th coming up. Also Read: Minnesota tornado warnings issued as severe storms cause power outages, damage: Chilling videos emerge Rain expected in Florida amid a potential tropical storm Even if it doesn't form into a tropical depression or storm, Florida's weather won't stay dry. The National Weather Service office in Melbourne warned that high moisture and a stalled front will likely bring storms each afternoon and evening for the next several days. 'Whether this turns into something or not, expect heavy rain through the weekend,' forecasters said Sunday. That includes the Fourth of July holiday. If the system strengthens enough to get a name, it would be called Tropical Storm Chantal. Tropical Storm Barry heading for Mexico Tropical Storm Barry is already causing concern in the Gulf of Mexico. It formed early Sunday in the Bay of Campeche. As of 11 am local time, Barry was about 90 miles from Tuxpan, Mexico, with winds near 40 mph. Mexico has issued a tropical storm warning for its Gulf coast from Boca de Catan to Tecolutla. The storm is expected to make landfall later Sunday or overnight. It might strengthen a bit before hitting the coast, but it will weaken quickly after moving inland. The bigger worry is rain. Barry could dump 3 to 6 inches across parts of eastern Mexico, with isolated areas getting up to 10 inches. That includes Veracruz, San Luis Potosí, and Tamaulipas. Forecasters warned of flash floods and mudslides, especially in hilly or mountainous areas. A busy hurricane season is ahead So far, the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season has been slow to start. Tropical Storm Andrea, the first named storm, only lasted a day and stayed out at sea. But forecasters are still expecting an above-average season. NOAA predicts 13 to 19 named storms. Up to 10 could become hurricanes, and 3 to 5 might become major ones - Category 3 or higher. Hurricane season runs through November 30. With July just beginning, things are likely to heat up soon. FAQs Is there a storm heading for Florida this week? Yes, a system is forming that could bring rain and strong winds around July 4. What's the latest named storm in the Atlantic? The storm is called Barry, and it is now moving toward Mexico. What will the next storm be called? If it forms, the next name on the list is Chantal. When does hurricane season end? The Atlantic hurricane season ends on November 30.
First Post
16 hours ago
- First Post
Over 450 flights cancelled, several delayed as Atlanta's busiest airport faces wrath of severe storm
Over 450 flights were cancelled and several were delayed as of Saturday afternoon as Atlanta faces a severe storm during the holiday season read more Hundreds of flights were cancelled and several were delayed after a severe storm wreaked havoc in Atlanta overnight. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is touted as the busiest airport in the world, and the storms are delaying flights at a time when people are rushing to get to their homes to celebrate the Fourth of July with their families. According to FlightAware, more than 450 flights into and out of Atlanta were cancelled as of early Saturday afternoon. Delta, which uses the Atlanta airport as its hub, is suffering the most from cancellations. The airline company's 14 per cent of total flights, flying across the United States, were cancelled due to the Atlanta storm. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'The airline is working to safely restore operations and assist customers impacted by the severe storms at our Atlanta hub Friday night,' Delta Airlines said in a statement to CNN. The airline warned that several hundred more cancellations are expected to occur over the weekend. 'Severe weather overnight is causing delays and cancellations,' the airport said Saturday in a post on X. Heavy winds jolt Atlanta Powerful winds in Atlanta prompted the evacuation of most air traffic controllers from the control tower Friday evening, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. FAA told CNN that a crew stayed to handle inbound planes. Additionally, severe thunderstorms also brought quarter-inch hail to the city. As the storm takes over the city, more than 100 Delta aircraft require inspection before they are allowed to fly as a result, according to Delta's statement. The inspection was completed by Saturday morning. Delta stated that they expect 'continued disruption this weekend as we recover safely and as quickly as possible.' The delays came as millions of people prepared to travel for the Fourth of July. According to AAA estimates, 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles or more from home during the holiday period, which starts from Saturday, June 28, until Sunday, July 6, with 5.84 million travellers expected to fly to their destinations. As per the authorities, the Atlanta airport is expected to have nearly 400,000 passengers on Friday alone, and more than 4 million passengers over the holiday period. Last year, the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport served more than 100 million passengers, making it busier than London's Heathrow or the Dubai International Airport.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Delta Air Lines set to inspect over 100 aircraft after severe storms hit Atlanta airport
Delta Air Lines is set to conduct inspections for more than 100 aircraft after severe weather in the Atlanta region has caused major problems for the company. On Friday night, storms brought quarter-inch hail to the region, according to a WRDW report. During the storm, the affected planes of the airline remained grounded. Now, the airline needs to inspect its aircraft before it goes ahead with its scheduled journeys. Delta Air Lines will inspect over 100 aircraft after severe storms caused significant disruptions at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. (Photo by JOE RAEDLE / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)(Getty Images via AFP) An employee from Delta Air Lines, headquartered in Atlanta, informed that the firm's maintenance teams were working swiftly through the backlog. Also read: Man risks life to save stepkids from home explosion, suffers severe burns on 92% of body What happened to Delta Air Lines amid severe storms? On Friday, operations at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the busiest around the world, were severely disrupted after the region was hit by thunderstorms. This led to the temporary evacuation of the air traffic control tower. FlightAware, a flight tracking platform, highlighted over 1,000 delays and more than 170 cancellations at the Atlanta airport by Friday evening. The airport witnessed the flight delays and cancellations during the key travel weekends of the summer, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. Thousands of passengers were looking forward to the Fourth of July holiday. However, a flash flood warning was issued in parts of Atlanta. Departures were delayed by 16 to 30 minutes and were increasing by late in the evening, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said. Meanwhile, arrivals were delayed by an average of 1 hour and 15 minutes at one point. All inbound flights to Atlanta remained grounded at their departure airports until at least 12 AM EDT on Saturday, officials said. Due to strong winds, personnel were evacuated from the control tower at the airport, the FAA noted. Statement from authorities A statement from the agency said, "Air traffic controllers have returned to the Atlanta control tower after the FAA evacuated most personnel due to strong winds... A few controllers remained in the facility to handle inbound aircraft." Tim Turner, a spokesperson for the airport, said that only two controllers were present in the tower to maintain communication, while all others were safely evacuated. Later on, the tower resumed operations as normal. Delta Air Lines operates more than 900 flights on a daily basis from Atlanta. It stated that over 90 of them were diverted due to lightning and high winds. FAQs 1. Are Delta Air Lines' operations back to normal on Saturday? The airline has warned that delays and cancellations could continue into Saturday morning amid aircraft repositioning. 2. How many flights were affected due to the storm in Atlanta? FlightAware reported more than 1,000 delays and over 170 cancellations at the airport by Friday evening. 3. What should passengers do next? Travelers are advised to check the FAA's airspace status page and get in touch with the airline for real-time updates.
