The Federal Aviation Administration canceled the ground stop at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Friday, September 11, 2026, and implemented a ground delay program from 6:00 p.m. to 9:59 p.m. Flights arriving under this program faced an average delay of 107 minutes, with the longest delay recorded at 271 minutes. Departing flights experienced average delays of 75 minutes, which were reported to be increasing through the evening.
FAA imposed several ground stops starting at 12:08 p.m. earlier that day, triggered by thunderstorms moving across metro Atlanta and North Georgia. The ground delay program applied to flights departing from airports within
1,000 nautical miles of Atlanta, with revised departure times assigned to control inbound traffic volumes and reduce congestion at the airport.
The CBS News Atlanta NEXT Weather team monitored heavy rain and frequent thunderstorms throughout the metro Atlanta and North Georgia areas, warning of possible localized flooding. These weather conditions contributed directly to disruptions at the airport and affected flight schedules for the region.
FAA’s management of arrival traffic through ground stops followed by a ground delay program aims to mitigate the impact of weather-related operational challenges. Despite lifting the ground stop, flights to and from Hartsfield-Jackson continue to face
significant delays nearing two hours, complicating travel plans for passengers at the nation’s busiest airport.
