ATL...how well equipped to deal with snow and ice?

[ShedQueen77]

We're scheduled to connect through Atlanta on Thursday....and they're predicting 3-5 inches of sleet and snow for Atlanta on Sunday-Tuesday.

 

Is this something at ATL is usually prepared for with proper equipment or should I be concerned about delays even two days afterward? I worry about the more southern areas being able to deal with snow. Now if this was MSP or some other northern airport, I wouldn't be worried! :D

[Sargent_Schultz]

I wouldn't worry. Atlanta has already had to deal with snow this season.

 

What will the weather be like where your flight originates and where does you connecting flight originate?

[ShedQueen77]

I wouldn't worry. Atlanta has already had to deal with snow this season.

 

What will the weather be like where your flight originates and where does you connecting flight originate?

 

You've been my lifesaver today. Thanks for taking the ignorant flier under your wing, pardon the pun :D

 

We're originating from MLI and the only weather predicted is cold, but you'll have that in January up here! lol

[alcpa1]

I hope I can help. I live west of Atlanta, over the border. That's Alabama to most folks.

I grew up in the midwest so I understand your concern.

As of the latest weather report (11 pm CST), Atlanta will begin receiving the precipitation Sunday evening. It may start as a snow and rain/sleet mix and turn into snow Monday. There are flurries predictied for Tuesday morning. Accumulations are predicted to be 3-6" or more. Atlanta is on the border of the advisory area between just snow and snow and ice. It's the ice that is the killer around here.

By next Thursday it will be in the 30's and clear. The airport should reopen by Wednesday if I had to guess BUT it will be a zoo even if they can start to get flights back in and out of Hartsfield Tuesday.

I am presuming you are flying Delta or Air Tran and I would recommend that you check their web sites for the travel waiver policies. The Delta phone lines will be crazy so if you want reassurance from the horses' mouth and not some crazy in the Appalachians start calling. They may want to reroute you so they can get stranded passengers handled, one of which will be my daughter in law.

Good luck, I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

[Sargent_Schultz]

If anyone is stranded, me thinks they will be flying standby and not displacing those with confirmed tickets.

 

This is this is the accuweather forecast:

 

http://www.accuweather.com/us/ga/atlanta/30301/forecast-month.asp?view=table

 

Yes, Delta can be impossible to reach on the phone - as in hang up on you.. Sometimes even their website will punt you.

[kenish]

Keep in mind aircraft constantly ciruculate through an airline's route system. So even if MLI, ATL, and your port are beautiful and sunny the aircraft has to come from somewhere. A significant weather problem in the Northeast for example can mess up a ATL-MIA flight. So, check your dates of travel for forecasts of bad weather over large areas. Winter travel is always a bit of a crapshoot.

[Sargent_Schultz]

"Bergen suggested travelers check with websites of individual airlines for flight status or check http://www.fly.faa.gov for real-time information on airport conditions."

http://www.ajc.com/news/snow-ice-to-sock-798617.html

 

and more on some of the preparations being made.

 

The winter storm warning is currently set to expire Monday night.

[frugaltravel]

If anyone is stranded, me thinks they will be flying standby and not displacing those with confirmed tickets.

 

You are totally correct - similar to NYC after the blizzard Dec 26.

 

Unfortunately ATL is woefully unprepared to handle snow and ice. In the past 2" of snow totally disrupted operations there. And this is predicted to be at least as bad. They have just a few (5?) de-icing trucks (for the "world's busiest airport"?). Operations will come to a standstill from Sunday through Tuesday IMHO. But by Thursday with confirmed reservations you should be OK.

[Sargent_Schultz]

You are totally correct - similar to NYC after the blizzard Dec 26.

 

 

We flew through Atlanta Dec 28th without a hitch but it was impossible to get Delta on the phone and even delta.com "hung" up when trying to check on things Dec 27th. {while other people were waiting for days for standby space}

 

Delta is the only airline I have ever dealt with that will hang up on you with a message equivalent to "We're too busy to take your call, goodbye."

[alidor]

Work with a local travel agent. They are available to assist - they answer their phones and can help reroute someone if possible.

[frugaltravel]

Work with a local travel agent. They are available to assist - they answer their phones and can help reroute someone if possible.

 

But travel agents charge a fee. Most people prefer to spend 2 hours on hold than pay a $20-$30 service fee. And not to mention, like Sargent said, Delta won't even answer their phones (or even put you on hold) when they get too busy. They just literally hang up on you!

 

My travel agent actually got me rebooked after the NYC storm when most people were standing in lines for hours at the airport to even speak to an agent there. Definitely money well spent (not to mention having good travel insurance to help with the delay).

[alidor]

Knew you were a smart person!!!

[monicajay]

We're scheduled to connect through Atlanta on Thursday....and they're predicting 3-5 inches of sleet and snow for Atlanta on Sunday-Tuesday.

 

Is this something at ATL is usually prepared for with proper equipment or should I be concerned about delays even two days afterward? I worry about the more southern areas being able to deal with snow. Now if this was MSP or some other northern airport, I wouldn't be worried! :D

 

At least you are booked a day early.

[kenish]

luvmytbear- Bad weather can disrupt a flight between two warm and sunny airports. Since aircraft are constantly moving through the airline's system on very complex schedules, bad weather can disrupt flights everywhere in a ripple effect. The more widespread the bad weather is, the worse the effect tends to be; same if the bad weather is at a hub.

 

Just a risk of winter travel and a good reason to get to the balmy cruiseport 1-2 days early.

[ShedQueen77]

luvmytbear- Bad weather can disrupt a flight between two warm and sunny airports. Since aircraft are constantly moving through the airline's system on very complex schedules, bad weather can disrupt flights everywhere in a ripple effect. The more widespread the bad weather is, the worse the effect tends to be; same if the bad weather is at a hub.

 

Just a risk of winter travel and a good reason to get to the balmy cruiseport 1-2 days early.

 

We are a day ahead of schedule (as we always do) so I'm hoping that is going to be good enough....I couldn't get the two days before off work. :)

[Eng23]

Hello. I live in Va. Beach, Va. and can tell you that many places in the south are ill equipped to deal with snow. We recently had 14" last month in the same storm that caused snow in Atlanta and the blizzard in NYC. A snow event in Atlanta can cause big headaches all across the country due to reason already mentioned. Any how good luck too you!:D

[Sargent_Schultz]

you can watch it roll in - looks like a mix now

 

[wrp96]

you can watch it roll in - looks like a mix now

 

 

 

They may not be actually getting anything yet. Here it showed we were getting wintry mix 3-4 hours before it actually started doing anything - and when it started it was all snow. Currently have 3+ inches with heavier snow on the way. When it does get there though, watch out.

[alcpa1]

A weather update as of 1 a.m. Atlanta time.

South Atlanta, which is where Hartsfield-Jackson is located, started with a little light rain/sleet snow mix with accummulations of over 2" of snow in the first hour of snowfall, BUT this part of town is due for periods of ice and additional snow throughout the night and most of tomorrow. The latest is the possibility of this continuing into Tuesday.

It's not the snow folks, it's the ice. The street are icy and if crews are not staged at the airport or nearby hotels it's going to take even longer to get flights in and out. Power outages are mounting as our beautiful southern trees loose their limbs on the Georgia Power lines.

I would think that by Thursday it will be a madhouse but everything should be back up and running.

It was reported that Birmingham ran out of deicing liquid before they got all of the flights off Sunday and there are still quite a few charter flights scheduled to leave tomorrow for the Auburn-Oregon BCS game that will never make it. I hate it for all of our friends who forked out KKKKK's for their tickets.

[tiggerman101]

I live in Atlanta (right off Peachtree St in Buckhead) and it is pretty bad here. Keep in mind, I am in a city that is pretty unequipped to deal with a lot of snow and ice. When it started snowing it was a lot all at once. After a couple hours, and a quick few inches, it slowed down and became mixed with sleet. That is what is still going on right now outside my condo. I walked on Peachtree St an hour ago and it is nothing but packed snow. It will be really messy here all day tomorrow. I know Delta has cancelled all flights for tomorrow.

 

The problem is the expected sleet and freezing rain. This will be dumped on top of the snow. Also the temperatures are supposed to remain below freezing for the next couple days. The airport is south of the city and it is supposed to be worse with ice on that side of town. I would think things will be a bit better on Tuesday and slowly get back to normal from there. I am guessing that Tuesday will still be a bit bad though. Hopefully, by Thursday they will be back to normal (and I think they will).

[Sargent_Schultz]

Looks like it will be ending today.

 

Current delays seem to be 15 minutes or less. Not sure if, or how many flights have been canceled.

 

Oh - looks like hundreds have been canceled....

[Sargent_Schultz]

It seems Delta has canceled all fights today through Atlanta.

[waterbug123]

It seems Delta has canceled all fights today through Atlanta.

 

It looks like they have already cancelled a number of tomorrow's flights as well.

[cruisemom42]

As of this morning, over 1,900 flights have been cancelled out of ATL, mostly Delta and Airtran. I'm sure that number will climb today.

 

Conditions are bad; visibility is bad, temps are not expected above freezing, and frozen rain and sleet are still falling sporadically.

[ShedQueen77]

Oye...I think I'm getting a bit nervous. :( I checked the Delta website and there are not any other flights out of MLI that do not connect through ATL...unless we drive 2.5 hours to ORD and go through MEM. I guess I'm going to just cross my fingers and pray at this point...first for the safety of those stuck in this and second for me to get through there and southbound to MIA.