ATLANTA — Sunday, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport said it expected to see a little over 100,000 travelers coming through its gates.
Looking at the wait times, for the most part, TSA kept it short, between 5 to 13 minutes. It's welcomed news for many travelers.
“We were expecting the airport to be really busy today, so we got here really early," said Samantha Plunkett, who was traveling with her daughter Murphy.
But just a day before, on Saturday, the international terminal was in a very different state because eight international flights were diverted due to weather.
11Alive reached out to the airport regarding the diversions and received a response from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection:
Last night, eight (8) international flights destined for Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) were temporarily diverted to airports in the southeast region due to severe weather and an FAA ground stop at Atlanta’s airport. When weather conditions improved, allowing for the diverted flights to land, there was a significant increase in international passengers arriving in a short time frame. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Atlanta officers remained on duty safely and securely inspecting the delayed international passengers arriving last night, working until after 1:00 am to clear all passengers.
When the planes did land, it triggered a massive backup and long TSA lines, frustrating many travelers who were looking for answers.
“We’re just worried that we might not make it for our cruise tomorrow," said Shawn Sibertz, who was traveling with his wife.
Sibertz said his flight this morning was canceled, and he was rebooked for another flight Sunday evening. He has some advice for travelers to avoid his predicament.
“I would say to keep a close look on your flight status at all times," Sibertz said. Also, try to book with the more reputable airlines."
Fellow traveler Plunkett said that although today seems to be light, her previous experience flying out of Hartsfield-Jackson taught her a lesson.
“The Sunday after Thanksgiving I actually missed my flight because the line for TSA was so crazy," Plunkett said. "It was all the way down there and I was two hours early that time so we try to be early."