by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
March 17, 2026
Delta, whose major hub is located at the airport, had two ground stops due to “operational issues.”
Atlanta’s main airport, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, had a rough Monday to start a busy travel week, dealing with storm-induced flight delays and cancellations as TSA troubles mount.
The Atlanta area dealt with severe weather on March 16, experiencing thunderstorms and even snow in some parts. The weather issue was heaviest in the morning, as the downpour impacted many early Monday flights.
As a result, WSB-TV reports the world’s busiest airport faced nearly 800 flight delays and over 300 cancellations. Delta, whose hub is at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, even preemptively asked passengers to reschedule their flights, if possible, to mitigate travel issues.
The major U.S. airline even prompted two ground stops amid the travel chaos. It requested a halt to all inbound flights to Atlanta for “operational purposes.”
“Delta requested a brief Air Traffic Control management program with the FAA on Monday evening to meter inbound flights to our Atlanta hub for operational purposes. We appreciate the partnership with Air Traffic Control and our customers’ patience as we work through ensuing delays caused by severe weather in eastern North America today,” shared Delta in a statement obtained by the news outlet.
However, weather was not the only concern for Hartsfield-Jackson and Delta, as TSA officer shortages stemming from the government shutdown exacerbated issues as the Department of Homeland Security went a fifth week without funding. TSA officers have officially missed a full paycheck, leading to worker shortages during this travel season.
Although already coming to a head at airports in Dallas and Austin, the issue is now causing hour-long waits at Atlanta’s security checkpoints. Personnel have used social media to warn travelers to arrive extra early to make their flight. Videos about the lengthy airport lines have gone viral on social media.
This is becoming ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/qBqApyP1JV
— Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) March 17, 2026
As of now, airport officials have encouraged passengers to exercise caution amid the long security lines.
Officials wrote, “Travelers are encouraged to allow extra time for security screening and arrive at least three hours ahead of their flights. We appreciate our passengers’ patience while we work to resolve the issue.”
Atlanta’s significant wait times, now ongoing due to TSA staffing issues, signal that another major airport has become impacted by the lingering government shutdown.
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