Monday, July 8, 2024 A series of severe storms wreaked havoc across the Midwest and Southeast over the weekend, causing significant travel disruptions for thousands of passengers. Thunderstorms led to ground stops at major airports in Atlanta, Houston, and Charlotte, resulting in hundreds of delayed or diverted flights. Flight Cancellations and Delays Saturday saw over 100 flight cancellations, with Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) being the hardest hit.
Although operations largely recovered by the night, another storm predicted for early in the week threatens to cause further disruptions. Atlanta’s Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport At Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), major delays were reported on Friday night. Severe weather and a ground stop led to the diversion of eight international flights to other regional airports.
While the ground stop was lifted as conditions improved, the influx of diverted flights caused a backlog for US Customs and Border Protection, with processing continuing until 1:00 AM Saturday. According to FlightAware, ATL experienced 701 delays on Friday, with Delta Air Lines, the airport’s largest operator, recording 460 delays. Southwest Airlines followed with 59 delays.
Fortunately, only eight flights were canceled. Saturday saw fewer delays but more cancellations, with 635 delays and 10 cancellations reported. Houston Faces Hurricane Threat Houston’s IAH experienced a ground stop on Saturday.
