The Federal Aviation Administration is issuing a departure delay alert for Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport for the third day.
The alert comes as the FAA begins reducing flight traffic by 10% at 40 airports across the country, including Atlanta. According to the FAA, departures have been delayed an average of 15 minutes and that number is increasing.
At least 86 flights had been canceled and 320 flights have been delayed by 5 p.m., according to FlightAware.
Most of the cancellations and delays come from Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines and Endeavor Air, a Delta subsidiary.
Endeavor has cancelled at least 42 flights and delayed 16. But Delta has delayed 196 flights and canceled 15.
More than 800 flights were called off nationwide — four times the number canceled Thursday, according to FlightAware.
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Ricky Smith, General Manager of the Atlanta Airport, spoke exclusively Thursday with Channel 2’s Richard Elliot on Channel 2 Action News at 6 p.m.
“Our responsibility is the airport, and we’re already finalizing plans internally for making sure that we do whatever we can to make the passenger experience as pleasant as possible given, you know, that kind of unwanted situation,” he said.
Channel 2 Action News reached out to every domestic airline that operates out of the Atlanta airport to see how they plan to assist affected passengers.
Most of the airlines said they plan to rebook passengers or offer them full refunds if their flights are canceled. Many of them added that even passengers whose flights are not affected are eligible for refunds.
Channel 2’s Audrey Washington was at the airport during Channel 2 Action News at 5 p.m., where travelers told her that they are growing increasingly concerned that even if they make it to their destinations, they might not be able to get back home.
“I think it’s ridiculous,” said Katherine Miller. “I need to go back home.
— WSBC
