A nationwide FAA ground stop held departures at Hartsfield-Jackson on Friday evening. By 7:30 p.m. the FAA's status page no longer listed it for Atlanta.

A nationwide ground stop ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration halted departures from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Friday evening. Planes already in the air were allowed to land.

By about 7:30 p.m. Friday, the FAA’s national airspace status page no longer listed a ground stop, and it showed no ground delay for Atlanta. Airlines may still be working through delayed and canceled flights.

Overview

  • What happened: the FAA stopped departures at airports across the country Friday evening, Nov. 13, including Hartsfield-Jackson
  • Arrivals: aircraft already in the air were allowed to land, the city said
  • Police and fire: the Atlanta Police Department and Atlanta Fire Rescue Department sent extra staff to the airport
  • Latest: the FAA’s status page listed no ground stop and no Atlanta delay at about 7:30 p.m.
  • Before you go: check your flight with your airline before leaving for the airport

What the city said

The City of Atlanta, which owns and runs the airport, issued an advisory at 5:59 p.m. Friday. It said the ground stop was “currently in effect indefinitely.”

“Aircraft that were already in the air are permitted to land; however, no flights will be allowed to depart until the FAA lifts the ground stop,” the advisory said.

The city said the Police Department and the Fire Rescue Department, including emergency medical teams, were sending extra people and equipment to support airport operations and help passengers.

The Atlanta Police Department said in its own notice at 6:32 p.m. that it was adding officers at the airport for crowd and traffic control. The department referred further questions to federal authorities.

What the FAA has said

The FAA had not posted a statement about Friday’s ground stop on its newsroom statements page when we checked Friday evening. Its live airport status page is the agency’s own record of ground stops and delays at each airport.

At about 7:30 p.m., that page listed ground delay programs at San Diego, San Francisco, New York LaGuardia and Boston, but nothing for Atlanta. The FAA has not said publicly what caused the stop.

What it means for you

  • Flying tonight or this weekend: check your flight status with your airline before you leave home. The city asked travelers to do this “BEFORE traveling to the airport.”
  • Picking someone up: expect more police directing traffic at the terminal curbs, and allow extra time.
  • Live airport conditions: the FAA’s status page shows any ground stop or delay at Atlanta as it happens.

We will update this story if the FAA or the city publishes more.