Transportation Security Administration airport checkpoint Atlanta
Photograph ©2016 by Brian Cohen.

Atlanta Airport Travel Waivers Extended; Chick-Fil-A Opens on a Sunday

Chick-Fil-A — which is normally closed on Sundays — opened to deliver food and water to passengers who were affected by the electrical power outage which crippled operations at the international airport which serves the greater Atlanta metropolitan area on Sunday, December 17, 2017…

Atlanta Airport Travel Waivers Extended; Chick-Fil-A Opens on a Sunday

…and Dan Cathy — who is the chairman, president and chief executive officer of the restaurant chain and whom I have met twice — personally delivered some of the food and water himself.

Meanwhile, the security checkpoints were opened by agents of the Transportation Security Administration at 3:30 this morning, Monday, December 18, 2017. Passengers with a ticket dated December 17, 2017 will need to reprint their tickets before being processed through the security checkpoints at the airport.

Free parking has been offered at the airport until 8:00 in the morning

…but much of the reactions of passengers has not exactly been favorable.

Flight Waivers, Delays and Cancellations

Partly due to hundreds more flights already canceled for today, Monday, December 18, 2017, some airlines have extended the period of time for the travel waivers which they issued yesterday.

If you are traveling to or from Atlanta, expect delays and cancellations of flights. Keep up to date on the latest information pertaining to the electrical power outage which may adversely affect your travel plans. Better yet, postponing or canceling your trip might be a better option — no matter which mode of travel you plan on taking.

If you have a flight scheduled, your flight may be delayed or canceled — and you may be eligible for a waiver of a fee to change your itinerary.

Here are eight airlines which have issued travel alerts as a result of this electrical power outage:

  • Delta Air Lines has issued a travel alert for Atlanta for Sunday, December 17, 2017 through Tuesday, December 19, 2017; and Friday, December 22, 2017 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
  • American Airlines has issued a travel alert for Atlanta for Sunday, December 17, 2017 through Monday, December 18, 2017; and Thursday, December 21, 2017 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
  • United Airlines has issued a travel alert for Atlanta for Sunday, December 17, 2017 through Tuesday, December 19, 2017; and Friday, December 22, 2017 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
  • Southwest Airlines has issued a travel alert for Atlanta for Sunday, December 17, 2017 through Monday, December 18, 2017; and Monday, January 1, 2018 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
  • JetBlue Airways has issued a travel alert for Atlanta for Sunday, December 17, 2017; and Tuesday, December 19, 2017 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
  • Frontier Airlines has issued a travel alert for Atlanta for Sunday, December 17, 2017 through Tuesday, December 19, 2017; and Monday, January 1, 2018 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
  • Spirit Airlines has issued a travel alert for Atlanta for Sunday, December 17, 2017 through Monday, December 18, 2017; and Thursday, December 21, 2017 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.
  • KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has issued a travel alert for Atlanta for Sunday, December 17, 2017 through Tuesday, December 19, 2017; and Friday, December 22, 2017 is the last day on which tickets must be reissued and rebooked travel must begin.

Summary

Electrical power has returned to the airport — but it is a long way from returning to normal operations.

If you are one of the passengers affected by this debacle, ensure that you keep yourself updated with the latest information — especially if you are traveling aboard an airplane operated by an airline which has not officially issued a travel waiver…

…and I hope that the coverage of this incident provided in this series of articles at The Gate has been helpful to you.

Photograph ©2016 by Brian Cohen.

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