Weather diverted 8 flights to Atlanta on Saturday, causing delays

ATLANTA — Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport said Sunday it expects to see just over 100,000 travelers pass through its gates.

As for wait times, the TSA has generally kept them short, between 5 and 13 minutes. That’s good news for many travelers.

“We expected the airport to be very busy today, so we arrived very early,” said Samantha Plunkett, who was traveling with her daughter Murphy.

But the day before, Saturday, the international terminal was in a very different state as eight international flights had been diverted due to weather conditions.

11Alive contacted the airport about the hijackings and received a response from U.S. Customs and Border Protection:

LLast night, eight (8) international flights destined for Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) were temporarily diverted to airports in the Southeast region due to severe weather conditions and an FAA stopover at the Atlanta airport. When the weather conditions improved, allowing the diverted flights to land, there was a significant increase in the number of international passengers arriving in a short period of time. Atlanta Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers remained on duty safely inspecting delayed international passengers arriving last night, working until 1:00 a.m. to clear all passengers.

When the planes finally landed, it triggered a massive traffic jam and long lines at the TSA, frustrating many travelers looking for answers.

“We’re just afraid we won’t be able to go on our cruise tomorrow,” said Shawn Sibertz, who was traveling with his wife.

Sibertz said his flight this morning was canceled and he was rescheduled for another flight Sunday night. He has some advice for travelers to avoid that kind of situation.

“I recommend always keeping a close eye on your flight status,” Sibertz said. “Also, try to book with the most reputable airlines.”

Plunkett, another traveler, said that although the weather seems light today, her previous experience leaving Hartsfield-Jackson taught her a lesson.

“The Sunday after Thanksgiving, I missed my flight because the TSA line was so long,” Plunkett said. “It was all the way down and I was two hours early, so we try to get there early.”