Atlanta airport tower evacuated during storm
Friday night’s storms caused headaches for thousands of travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Hundreds of flights were delayed or canceled after a ground stop went into effect earlier in the day. And air traffic controllers had to evacuate the tower at the height of the intense storm.
ATLANTA – Severe thunderstorms disrupted operations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Friday evening, forcing a temporary evacuation of the air traffic control tower and causing widespread flight delays and cancellations on one of the busiest travel weekends of the summer.
The storm, which also triggered flash flood warnings in parts of metro Atlanta, struck during peak travel ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, compounding delays for thousands of passengers.
SEE ALSO: Flash Flood Warnings issued as severe storms batter metro Atlanta
What we know:
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, departure delays ranged from 16 to 30 minutes and were increasing, while airborne arrival delays averaged 1 hour and 15 minutes at one point. All inbound flights to Atlanta were held at their departure airports until at least 12 a.m. EDT Saturday.
What they’re saying:
The FAA said strong winds prompted the evacuation of most personnel from the control tower during the storm.
“Air traffic controllers have returned to the Atlanta control tower after the FAA evacuated most personnel due to strong winds,” the agency said in a statement. “A few controllers remained in the facility to handle inbound aircraft.”
A spokesperson for Hartsfield-Jackson, Tim Turner, confirmed that only two controllers remained in the tower during the ground stop to maintain communication. The tower has since resumed normal operations.
By the numbers:
Delta Air Lines, which operates over 900 daily flights from Atlanta, reported more than 90 flight diversions due to lightning, hail, and high winds. “Delta people are working as safely and quickly as possible to recover flights,” said spokesperson Erica Hutlas. She noted that one of the storms brought quarter-inch hail to the airport, prompting required aircraft inspections and additional delays.
Flight tracking site FlightAware reported more than 1,000 delays and over 170 cancellations at the airport Friday evening.
What’s next:
Delta warned that delays and cancellations may continue into Saturday morning due to aircraft repositioning and mandatory crew rest requirements. “A cancellation is always a last resort after all other options are exhausted,” the airline said.
What you can do:
Travelers were urged to check the FAA’s airspace status page and use airline apps for real-time updates and rebooking options.
The Source: The FAA, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and the FOX 5 Storm Team provided details for this article.
