Atlanta travelers relieved as FAA lifts flight restrictions

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Some normalcy was restored to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Monday morning.

After having its flights reduced by as much as 6%, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it would allow airlines to return to their normal capacity at 6 a.m.

“Feeling brilliant because we planned to travel today and we avoided all the hassle we thought we might have,” Atlanta traveler David Hart said.

The cuts left travelers uncertain.

“We were aware that we may need to make alternate plans, but we were very fortunate,” Hart said.

Now that the federal government has reopened, some of its effects are starting to work themselves out.

TSA data shows Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest travel weekend of the year.

Experts say passengers should still check for delays or cancellations, but for more typical reasons.

“I think the things we should be looking out for are weather-related incidents that could kind of throw the system out of whack, or outages, but overall I think things are looking good,” Brian Kelly, founder of “The Points Guy,” said.

While travel will soon ramp up, Monday saw smooth sailing for travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson.

“They keep things running pretty smoothly down here in Atlanta. It is a big airport, and you’ve gotta keep people moving through it,” traveler Jeff Merrow said.

Copyright 2025 WANF. All rights reserved.