Delta Air Lines Monday cancelled substantially more flights than it initially expected to, as the impact of Sunday’s multi-hour power loss at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport continues to be felt.
The carrier, in an update posted at 10:24 a.m. Eastern Monday, says it is canceling 400 flights today—100 more than it said it expected to cancel just three hours prior. The number could (and likely will) be further revised as the day continues.
Delta, which is based out of Atlanta, was forced to cancel nearly 1,000 flights on Sunday when a power outage impacted all airline operations at Hartsfield. Power has been restored to the terminals, but between the holiday traffic rush and Atlanta’s standing as the world’s busiest airport, it could be days before operations return to normal, news that no holiday traveler wants to hear.
The carrier says customers who are flying to, from, or through Atlanta can make a one-time change to their plans—and it will temporarily restrict travel by unaccompanied minors via Atlanta (unless they were already en route).
As if travelers didn’t have enough headaches with the Atlanta airport issues Sunday, it’s worth remembering that the Transportation Security Administration is in the midst of phasing in new procedures that could increase wait times in security lines at airports across the country. Among those: travelers are now required to remove any electronics larger than a cellphone from their carry-on bags and place them in a separate bin. (That’s a significant change from just laptops.)
