Miguel Southwell, the former general manager of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, was terminated with a letter sent by courier last Friday.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said he was in meetings in New York at the time.
The letter, released by Reed’s office, is signed by Atlanta chief operating officer Dan Gordon and says its purpose is “to memorialize our telephone conversation earlier today, which was necessary because you were unable to meet at 10:30 this morning.”
The letter continues: “As discussed, your services are no longer required by the City of Atlanta. You were given the opportunity to submit a resignation in lieu of termination, but declined to resign at this juncture.”
Southwell has not responded to requests for comment.
Reed appointed the city-owned airport’s chief financial officer, Roosevelt Council, as the interim general manager.
At an airport event Tuesday morning, Council said: “We’re going to get back to a lot of the basic core things. What’s important for us is that we manage our lines. We make sure that the customer, who is really our clear focus, is addressed in every possible way.”
“We have incredible people who can get this job done,” Council said.
Hartsfield-Jackson, along with other big U.S. airports, has been plagued by long lines at federally operated security checkpoints of late. Reed on Monday expressed frustration with the situation but did not say how much it, or any other factors, contributed to his decision to oust Southwell.
Reed named Southwell, an airport veteran, to the post in 2014. His ouster surprised many, given that the airport had just successfully completed a new long-term lease with major tenant Delta Air Lines and is launching a raft of major renovation and expansion projects.
About the Author
