Severe thunderstorms have forced a temporary evacuation of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s control tower, disrupting holiday travel ahead of the Fourth of July weekend. The storms, which also triggered flash flood warnings in parts of metro Atlanta, caused widespread flight delays and cancellations.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), departure delays ranged from 16 to 30 minutes, while airborne arrival delays averaged 1 hour and 15 minutes at one point. All inbound flights were held at their departure airports until at least 12 a.m. EDT Saturday.
Air traffic controllers had to evacuate due to strong winds, but have since returned to normal operations. Delta Air Lines reported over 90 flight diversions due to lightning, hail, and high winds. Flight tracking site FlightAware reported more than 1,000 delays and over 170 cancellations at the airport Friday evening.
Travelers were urged to check the FAA’s airspace status page and use airline apps for real-time updates and rebooking options. With disruptions expected to continue into Saturday morning, passengers are advised to plan ahead and be patient during this time.
Source: https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/atlanta-airport-tower-evacuated-due-severe-storms