After hundreds of flight cancellations, dozens of travelers filled the domestic terminal atrium at Hartsfield-Jackson International as some prepared to spend the night at the airport.
More than 546 flights were canceled at the Atlanta airport Wednesday, according to airport spokesman Reese McCranie.
Laurie McLemore was waylaid on her way from Washington, D.C. back home to Chattanooga Wednesday and found herself sitting on the floor of Hartsfield-Jackson's domestic terminal near an outlet as she charged her phone and searched for an available hotel room using an iPad.
Her first flight from Washington to Atlanta was canceled, then her second flight was held on the tarmac and delayed, which caused her to miss her connection to Chattanooga.
"It was just so many problems today," McLemore said. "I've checked at least 25 hotels online.... I really didn't think it was going to be hard [to find a room].
McLemore was due into work for her job as a letter carrier Thursday morning, but did not expect to make it in time because she was rescheduled for a flight at 10 a.m.
"I knew there was a chance [of snow], but in the South when there's a chance, you're like, 'Whatever,'" she said.
Joe Riley was due to fly back home to Washington, D.C. after meetings in Duluth on Wednesday, but after his flight was canceled, he decided to camp out at Hartsfield-Jackson for the night until his 7 a.m. flight Thursday morning.
"I'm amazed that they're canceling flights," Riley said. "But you know what, if they don't feel safe flying, I'm perfectly happy down here on the ground.'"
Credit: Angel K. Brooks
Credit: Angel K. Brooks
About the Author
