Delta Airlines pulled 100 aircraft from service for inspection after a hailstorm hit Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Friday evening, causing major flight disruptions.
The airline said nearly all the affected planes were expected to return to service by Saturday, after overnight checks by its technical teams. “Delta people are working as safely and quickly as possible to recover flights impacted by thunderstorms, lightning, hail and winds at our Atlanta hub Friday night,” the airline said in a statement to FOX Weather, as reported by the New York Post.
The storm brought strong winds, hailstones measuring about a quarter of an inch, and flash flooding, disrupting operations at the busiest airport in the United States. Between 7:11 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) put the airport under a ground stop, which meant planes were not allowed to land or take off.
Due to the weather, Delta diverted 90 flights to other airports in the Southeast on Friday. On Saturday, the airline cancelled more than 380 flights and warned of further delays and cancellations. “Delta expects additional delays and cancellations as teams work to safely reset aircraft and flight crews complete required rest,” a spokesperson told FOX Weather.
The FAA also confirmed it had to temporarily evacuate most of its staff from the airport’s control tower because of high winds. “Air traffic controllers have returned to the Atlanta control tower after the FAA evacuated most personnel due to strong winds,” the agency said. “A few controllers remained in the facility to handle inbound aircraft.”
Hartsfield-Jackson spokesperson Tim Turner told FOX 5 Atlanta that just two air traffic controllers stayed behind during the evacuation to manage ongoing communications.
The heavy rain led to flash flooding in parts of the city. Just under an inch of rain fell in one hour at the airport. The National Weather Service said standing water shut down the northbound lanes of Interstate 75, near the airport.
