Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport Logo.svg
Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson.jpg
IATA: ATL – ICAO: KATL – FAA LID: ATL
ATL is located in Georgia (U.S. state)
ATL
Location of ATL
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner City of Atlanta
Operator Department of Aviation
Serves Atlanta, Georgia
Location unincorporated areas, Atlanta, College Park, and Hapeville
Fulton & Clayton Counties
Hub for
Elevation AMSL 1,026 ft / 313 m
Website atlanta-airport.com
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
8L/26R 9,000 2,743 Concrete
8R/26L 10,000 3,048 Concrete
9L/27R 11,890 3,624 Concrete
9R/27L 9,001 2,743 Concrete
10/28 9,000 2,743 Concrete
Helipads
Number Length Surface
ft m
H1 52 16 Asphalt
Statistics (2009[1])
Aircraft operations 970,235
Passengers 88,032,086
Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport's Diagram

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (IATA: ATL, ICAO: KATL, FAA LID: ATL), known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles (11 km) south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It has been the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic and number of landings and take-offs since 1999, serving 88 million passengers per year.[2] The airport is the primary hub of AirTran Airways, Delta Air Lines, and Delta Connection partner Atlantic Southeast Airlines; the Delta hub is the world's largest airline hub. Delta Air Lines flew 55.96% of passengers from the airport in 2009, AirTran flew 17.75%, and Atlantic Southeast Airlines flew 14.35%.[1] The airport has 151 domestic and 28 international gates.[3]

Hartsfield–Jackson held its ranking as the world's busiest airport in 2009, both in terms of passengers and number of flights, by accommodating 88 million passengers and 970,235 flights.[1] Many of the nearly one million flights are domestic flights from within the United States where Atlanta serves as a major hub for travel throughout the Southeastern United States.

Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport has international service to North America, South America, Central America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. As an international gateway to the United States, Hartsfield–Jackson ranks seventh.[1]

The airport is located mostly in unincorporated areas in Fulton and Clayton counties; the city limits of Atlanta,[4] College Park,[5] and Hapeville extend to the airport grounds.[6] The airport is served by MARTA's Red/Gold rail line.

Contents

History

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport's Air Traffic Control Tower

Hartsfield–Jackson had its beginnings with a five-year, rent free lease on 287 acres (116 ha) that had been the home of an abandoned auto racetrack. The lease was signed on April 16, 1925, by Mayor Walter Sims, who committed the city to develop it into an airfield. As part of the agreement, the property was renamed Candler Field after its former owner, Coca-Cola tycoon and former Atlanta mayor Asa Candler. The first flight into Candler Field was on September 15, 1926, a Florida Airways mail plane flying from Jacksonville, Florida. In May 1928, Pitcairn Aviation began service to Atlanta, followed in June 1930 by Delta Air Service. Later these two airlines, known as Eastern Air Lines and Delta Air Lines, respectively, would both use Atlanta as their chief hubs.

It was a busy airport from its inception and by the end of 1930 it placed third behind New York City and Chicago for regular daily flights with sixteen arriving and departing.[7] Candler Field's first control tower was opened March 1939.[8]

For the military use of the airport during World War II, see Atlanta Army Airfield

In October 1940 the U.S. government declared it a military airfield and the United States Army Air Force operated Atlanta Army Airfield jointly with Candler Field. The Air Force used the airport primarily for the servicing of transient aircraft, with many different types of combat aircraft being maintained at the airport. During World War II, the airport doubled in size and set a record of 1,700 takeoffs and landings in a single day, making it the nation's busiest airport in terms of flight operation. Atlanta Army Airfield closed after war's end.[8]

In 1946 Candler Field was renamed Atlanta Municipal Airport. In 1948, more than one million passengers passed through a war surplus hangar that served as a terminal building. On June 1, 1956, an Eastern Airlines flight to Montreal, Canada was the first international flight out of Atlanta. In 1957, Atlanta had its first jet flight: a Sud Aviation Caravelle from Washington D.C. That same year, work on a new terminal began to help alleviate congestion. Atlanta was the busiest airport in the country with more than two million passengers passing through that year and, between noon and 2 p.m. each day, it became the busiest airport in the world.[8]

On May 3, 1961, a new $21 million terminal opened, the largest in the country, being able to accommodate over six million travelers a year. The new airport was stretched past its capacity the very first year when nine and half million people passed through.[9] In 1967, the city of Atlanta and the airlines began to work on a master plan for future development of Atlanta Municipal Airport.

Construction had begun on the present midfield terminal in January 1977 under the administration of Mayor Maynard Jackson. It was the largest construction project in the South, costing $500 million. Named for former Atlanta mayor William Berry Hartsfield, who did much to promote air travel, William B. Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport opened on September 21, 1980, on-time and under budget.[10] It was designed to accommodate up to 55 million passengers per year and covered 2.5 million square feet (230,000 m²). In December 1984 a 9,000-foot (2,700 m) fourth parallel runway was completed, and another runway was extended to 11,889 feet (3,624 m) the following year.[8]

In May 2001, construction of a 9,000-foot (2,700 m) fifth runway (10-28) began. It was completed at a cost of $1.28 billion and opened on May 27, 2006,[11] and was the first runway added since 1984. It bridges Interstate 285 (the Perimeter) on the south side of the airport. The massive project, which involved putting fill dirt eleven stories high in some places, destroyed some surrounding neighborhoods, and dramatically changed the scenery of two cemeteries on the property, Flat Rock Cemetery and Hart Cemetery.[12] It was added to help ease some of the traffic problems caused by landing small- and mid-size aircraft on the longer runways which are also used by larger planes such as the Boeing 777, which generally require longer takeoff distances than the smaller planes. With the fifth runway, Hartsfield–Jackson is one of only a few airports that can perform triple simultaneous landings.[13] The fifth runway is expected to increase the capacity for landings and take-offs by 40%, from an average of 184 flights per hour to 237 flights per hour.[14]

Along with the construction of the fifth runway, a new control tower was built to see the entire length of the runway. The new control tower is the tallest airport control tower in the United States, with a height of over 398 feet (121 m). The old control tower, 585 feet (178 m) away from the new control tower, was demolished August 5, 2006.[15]

In 2003, Atlanta's city council voted on October 20 to change the name from Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport to the current Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, in honor of former mayor Maynard Jackson, the first African-American mayor of Atlanta, who had died on June 23, 2003. The council had initially planned on renaming the airport solely for Mayor Jackson, but public outcry,[16] especially by Mayor Hartsfield's descendants, prompted the compromise.[17]

In April 2007, an "end-around taxiway" opened, called Taxiway Victor. It is expected to save an estimated $26 million to $30 million in fuel by allowing airplanes landing on the northernmost runway to taxi to the gate area without preventing other aircraft from taking off. The taxiway drops approximately 30 feet (9.1 m) from the runway elevation to allow takeoffs to continue.[18]

As a result of the Southeastern U.S. drought of 2007, the airport (the eighth-largest water user in the state) has made changes to reduce water usage. This includes adjusting toilets, of which there are 725 commodes and 338 urinals, in addition to 601 sinks. (The two terminals alone use 917,000 gallons or about 3.5 million liters each day in average.) It also suspended the practice of using firetrucks to spray water over aircraft when the pilot made a last landing before retirement (a water salute).[19][20] The city of Macon offered to sell water to the airport, through a proposed pipeline.[21]

The airport today employs approximately 55,300 airline, ground transportation, concessionaire, security, federal government, City of Atlanta and Airport tenant employees and is considered the largest employment center in the State of Georgia. With a payroll of $2.4 billion, the airport has a direct and indirect economic impact of $3.2 billion on the local and regional economy and a total annual, regional economic impact of more than $19.8 billion.[22]

Expansion

Sign installation visible from departing flights, emphasizing the presence of Delta Air Lines.
A view of the International Concourse E and Control Tower at night

In 1999, Hartsfield–Jackson's leadership established the Development Program: "Focus On the Future" involving multiple construction projects with the intention of preparing the airport to handle a projected demand of 121 million passengers in 2015. The program was originally budgeted at $5.4 billion over a ten-year period, but due to project delays and increased construction costs, the total is now projected at over $9 billion.[23]

Hartsfield–Jackson Rental Car Center

Main Article: ATL Skytrain

The Hartsfield–Jackson Rental Car Center, which opened on December 8, 2009, houses all ten current airport rental agencies with capacity for additional companies.[24] The complex features 9,900 parking spaces split up between two four-story parking decks that together cover 2,800,000 square feet (260,000 m2), a 137,000-square-foot (12,700 m2) customer service center, and a maintenance center for vehicles, which features 140 gas pumps,and 30 bays for washing with each one equipped with a water recovery system.[24] The automated people mover, nicknamed the ATL Skytrain, (using Mitsubishi Crystal Mover equipment) connects the facility to the airport and to the Gateway Center of the Georgia International Convention Center and the Hartsfield–Jackson Rental Car Center.[24] A four-lane roadway was built across Interstate 85 to connect the Hartsfield–Jackson Rental Car Center to the existing airport road network.[25]

Maynard Holbrook Jackson, Jr. International Terminal

New terminal exterior rendering

In July 2003, former Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin announced a new terminal to be named for Maynard Holbrook Jackson, Jr.. The new international terminal would be built on the east side of the airport near International Concourse E, on a site that has been occupied by air cargo facilities and the midfield control tower. It would add twelve new gates able to hold wide-body jets, which can be converted to sixteen narrow-body gates, as well as new check-in desks and a baggage claim area solely for international carriers. Additionally, the international terminal would have its own parking lot just for international passengers with over 1,100 spots. Arriving international passengers whose final destination is Atlanta will be able to keep possession of their luggage as they proceed to exit the airport. (Currently, such passengers must "recheck" their luggage and clear security at Concourse E to enter the underground Transportation Mall to get to the main terminal where they must "reclaim" their luggage.) The new terminal will be affixed to Terminal E by the people mover tram and will also have new ground transportation access from I-75.[26]

It was slated to open in 2006. However, time and cost overruns led general manager Ben DeCosta to cancel the design contract in August 2005. The very next day the company sued the airport claiming "fraud" and "bad faith", blaming the airport authority for the problems.[27] Recently, Ben DeCosta awarded a new design contract on the new international terminal to Atlanta Gateway Designers (AGD). Estimated prices place the terminal's cost at $1.4 billion and expected to open in April 2012.[23][28]

Also scheduled to be completed after the new international terminal and concourse is a new terminal south of the current terminals. The new terminal is expected to include up to 70 gates.[29] The project is currently known as the South Gate Complex, and is estimated to cost around $1.8 billion. The new terminal will be connected to the main terminal by an expanded automated people mover system. [30] When the South Gate Complex is completed, it is expected that most domestic carriers other than Delta will move to the SGC. This would leave Delta as the sole domestic carrier at the current terminal, which it will share with its SkyTeam partners. Since the SGC is not planned to have Customs and Border Protection facilities, international arrivals other than pre-cleared flights will also continue to use the current terminal (specifically British Airways and Lufthansa).

Layout

The Transportation Mall. The portion between Concourse T and Concourse A also includes African-themed artwork and photographs

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport has terminal and concourse space totaling 5.8 million square feet (~0.54 km²).[3] The airport has two terminals where passengers check in and claim bags, the North Terminal and the South Terminal. The two terminals are parts of a larger building. The portions of the building in between the two terminals include the Atrium, which is a large, open seating area that features concessionaires and a bank as well as conference rooms, an interfaith chapel, and offices on the upper floors, the main security checkpoint, the Ground Transportation Center, and a Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) train station.[31][32]

Six concourse buildings, parallel to one another, are used for passenger boarding. The first concourse is directly connected to the main terminal, and is known as the T-Gates (for Terminal). The remaining five concourses are arranged successively in distance from the terminal as Concourses A, B, C, D, and E.[3] Concourse E replaced Concourse T as the international terminal when it opened in 1994 in time for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, which were held in Atlanta .[33] International passengers who arrive in Atlanta are subjected to a security re-check after clearing customs due to the fact that the facility exits into the concourse instead of the main terminal lobby. The concourses are connected by an underground Transportation Mall, which begins at the main terminal and passes under the center of each concourse.[34] There used to be a second underground walkway between Concourses B and C located at the north end of the two concourses, that made it possible to transfer without returning all the way to the center of the concourse. This was originally constructed for Eastern Airlines, who occupied these two terminals. This is now blocked off and the old entrance at Terminal B has been replaced by a bank of arrival/departure monitors.

A concourse entrance to the underground people mover.

The Automated People Mover

In addition to a pedestrian walkway, which includes a series of moving walkways, connecting the concourses, the Transportation Mall also features an automated people mover. The Automated People Mover has a station at the east end of the main terminal for passengers entering the Transportation Mall after passing through security (this station also serves as the station for Concourse T), and a station at each of the remaining five concourses. There is an additional station for the Baggage Claim area, which is located directly underneath the Main Terminal. Only hand luggage can be carried on the people mover. It is the world's busiest automated people mover, with over 64 million riders in 2002.[34]

On August 10, 2010, the automated people mover was named "The Plane Train." [35]

MARTA Station

Hartsfield–Jackson also has its own train station on the city's rapid transit system, MARTA. The above-ground station is inside in the main building, between the north and south terminals on the west end. The Airport train station is currently the southernmost station in the MARTA system.[36]

Terminals, airlines, and destinations

The six concourses and their gates are:

Airlines Destinations Concourse
Air Canada Jazz Toronto-Pearson D
Air France Paris-Charles de Gaulle E
AirTran Airways Akron/Canton, Allentown/Bethlehem [seasonal] Aruba, Atlantic City, Baltimore, Bloomington/Normal, Boston, Branson, Buffalo, Cancún, Charlotte, Chicago-Midway, Columbus (OH), Dallas/Fort Worth, Dayton, Denver, Detroit, Flint, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Gulfport/Biloxi, Harrisburg [seasonal] Houston-Hobby, Indianapolis, Jacksonville (FL), Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami [ends October 6], Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Moline/Quad Cities [ends November 30][37], Montego Bay, Nassau, New Orleans, New York-LaGuardia, Newport News, Orlando, Pensacola, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland (ME) [seasonal], Punta Cana [begins February 16], Raleigh/Durham, Richmond, Rochester (NY), St. Louis, San Antonio, San Francisco, San Juan, Sarasota/Bradenton, Seattle/Tacoma, Tampa, Tunica, Washington-Dulles, Washington-Reagan, West Palm Beach, White Plains, Wichita C, D
Alaska Airlines Seattle/Tacoma D
American Airlines Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami T
American Eagle Chicago-O'Hare, Miami, New York-LaGuardia T
British Airways London-Heathrow E
Continental Airlines Houston-Intercontinental, Newark D
Continental Express operated by Chautauqua Airlines Cleveland, Houston-Intercontinental D
Continental Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines Cleveland, Houston-Intercontinental, Newark D
Delta Air Lines Albany (NY) [seasonal; begins October 1], Albuquerque, Allentown/Bethlehem, Anchorage [seasonal], Austin, Baltimore, Bermuda, Birmingham (AL), Boston, Bozeman [seasonal], Buffalo, Charleston (SC), Charlotte, Chicago-Midway, Chicago-O'Hare, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Cleveland [seasonal], Colorado Springs, Columbia (SC), Columbus (OH), Dallas/Fort Worth, Dayton, Daytona Beach, Denver, Detroit, Eagle/Vail [seasonal], El Paso, Flint, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Fort Walton Beach [seasonal], Grand Rapids, Green Bay, Greensboro, Greenville/Spartanburg, Gulfport/Biloxi, Harrisburg, Hartford, Hayden/Steamboat Springs [seasonal], Honolulu, Houston-Hobby, Houston-Intercontinental, Huntsville/Decatur, Indianapolis, Jackson (MS), Jackson Hole [seasonal], Jacksonville (FL), Kalispell [seasonal], Kansas City, Key West, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Lexington [seasonal], Little Rock, Los Angeles, Louisville, Manchester (NH), Melbourne (FL), Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Mobile, Montrose/Telluride [seasonal], Myrtle Beach, Nashville, New Orleans, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia, Newark, Newport News, Norfolk, Oakland, Oklahoma City [begins October 1], Omaha, Ontario, Orange County, Orlando, Panama City (FL), Pensacola, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland (ME), Portland (OR), Providence, Raleigh/Durham, Reno/Tahoe [seasonal], Richmond, Rochester (NY), Sacramento, St. Louis, St. Thomas, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose (CA), San Juan, Sarasota/Bradenton, Savannah, Seattle/Tacoma, Syracuse [seasonal], Tallahassee, Tampa, Tucson, Tulsa [begins September 8], Vancouver [seasonal], Washington-Dulles, Washington-Reagan, West Palm Beach T, A, B, D, E
Delta Air Lines Accra, Amsterdam, Antigua, Aruba, Athens [seasonal], Barbados, Barcelona, Belize City, Bonaire, Bogotá, Brasilia, Brussels, Buenos Aires-Ezeiza, Cancún, Caracas, Copenhagen, Cozumel, Curaçao [seasonal], Dubai, Dublin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Grand Cayman, Guadalajara, Guatemala City, Guayaquil [seasonal], Johannesburg, Kingston [seasonal], Lagos, Liberia (Costa Rica), Lima, London-Gatwick, London-Heathrow, Madrid, Managua, Manaus [ends January 29], Manchester (UK), Mexico City, Milan-Malpensa, Monrovia, Montego Bay, Montreal, Moscow-Sheremetyevo [seasonal], Mumbai [ends October 30], Munich, Nassau, Panama City, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Prague [seasonal], Providenciales, Puerto Plata [seasonal], Puerto Vallarta, Punta Cana, Quito, Rio de Janeiro-Galeão, Roatán, Rome-Fiumicino, St. Croix, St. Kitts [seasonal], St. Lucia, St. Maarten, San José de Costa Rica, San José del Cabo, San Salvador, Santiago de Chile, Santo Domingo, São Paulo-Guarulhos, San Pedro Sula, Stuttgart, Tegucigalpa, Tel Aviv, Tobago, Tokyo-Narita, Venice-Marco Polo [seasonal], Zürich T*, E

*Departing flights only
Delta Connection operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines Akron/Canton, Albany (GA), Albany (NY), Alexandria, Allentown/Bethlehem, Appleton, Asheville, Augusta (GA), Austin, Baton Rouge, Birmingham (AL), Bloomington/Normal, Blountville/Tri-Cities, Brunswick, Charleston (SC), Charleston (WV), Charlotte, Charlottesville, Chattanooga, Chicago-Midway, Cleveland, Columbia (SC), Columbus (GA), Columbus (MS), Dayton, Des Moines, Dothan, Evansville, Fayetteville (AR), Fayetteville (NC), Flint, Florence, Fort Wayne, Fort Walton Beach, Gainesville, Greensboro, Greenville/Spartanburg, Gulfport/Biloxi, Halifax, Harrisburg, Houston-Hobby, Houston-Intercontinental, Huntsville/Decatur, Jackson (MS), Jacksonville (NC), Killeen, Key West, Knoxville, Lafayette, Lewisburg (WV), Lexington, Little Rock, Louisville, Lynchburg, Madison [begins November 3], Melbourne (FL), Meridian, Milwaukee, Mobile, Moline/Quad Cities, Monroe, Montgomery, Montréal-Trudeau, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, New Bern, Newburgh, Newport News, New Orleans, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Panama City (FL), Pensacola, Pittsburgh, Providence, Raleigh/Durham [ends September 7], Richmond, Roanoke, Rochester (NY), St. Louis, Savannah, Shreveport, Sioux Falls [begins October 1], South Bend, Springfield (MO), Syracuse, Tallahassee, Toronto-Pearson, Tri-Cities (TN/VA), Tulsa, Valdosta, White Plains, Wichita, Wilmington (NC) C, D
Delta Connection operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines Freeport, Great Exuma Island E
Delta Connection operated by Comair Asheville, Birmingham (AL), Charleston (SC), Chattanooga, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Cleveland, Chicago-O'Hare, Columbus (OH), Flint, Fort Walton Beach, Freeport, Greensboro, Harrisburg, Huntsville/Decatur, Houston-Hobby, Knoxville, Lexington [ends September 30], Louisville, Manchester (NH), Nashville, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Panama City (FL),Providence, Springfield (MO), Syracuse, Tulsa D
Delta Connection operated by Compass Airlines Albany (NY), Charlotte, Chicago-O'Hare, Houston-Intercontinental, Lexington [ends September 15], Louisville, Savannah A
Delta Connection operated by Mesaba Airlines Austin, Chattanooga, Columbus (MS), Florence (SC), Hilton Head Island [seasonal], Muscle Shoals, Nashville, Omaha, Providence, San Antonio, Tupelo D
Delta Connection operated by Pinnacle Airlines Austin, Birmingham (AL), Charlotte, Chicago-O'Hare, Chicago-Midway, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Cleveland, Dayton, Fort Wayne, Greenville/Spartanburg, Houston-Hobby, Houston-Intercontinental, Huntsville/Decatur, Kansas City, Knoxville, Lexington [ends September 30], Louisville, Memphis, Milwaukee, Nashville, New Orleans, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Panama City (FL), Portland (ME), Providence, Richmond, St. Louis, San Antonio, Savannah, Tallahassee, Washington-Dulles, Washington-Reagan, White Plains, Wichita [begins October 1] B
Delta Connection operated by Pinnacle Airlines Belize City [seasonal], Cozumel [seasonal], Guadalajara [seasonal], Monterrey, Providenciales [seasonal], St. Croix E
Delta Connection operated by Shuttle America Charlotte, Chicago-Midway, Chicago-O'Hare, Charleston (SC), Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Columbus (OH), Houston-Hobby, Indianapolis, Knoxville, Louisville, Memphis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Norfolk, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, San Antonio, Sarasota/Bradenton, Washington-Reagan A
Delta Connection operated by SkyWest Airlines Chicago-O'Hare, Montrose [seasonal], St. Louis B
Frontier Airlines Denver D
Frontier Airlines operated by Republic Airlines Denver D
GeorgiaSkies[38] Athens (GA), Macon E
KLM Amsterdam E
Korean Air Seoul-Incheon E
Lufthansa Frankfurt E
Spirit Airlines Fort Lauderdale, Myrtle Beach [seasonal] D
United Airlines Chicago-O'Hare T
United Express operated by Mesa Airlines Chicago-O'Hare, Washington-Dulles T
United Express operated by Shuttle America Chicago-O'Hare, Denver, Washington-Dulles T
United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines Denver T
US Airways Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix D
US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin Philadelphia D
US Airways Express operated by Mesa Airlines Charlotte D
US Airways Express operated by PSA Airlines Charlotte D
US Airways Express operated by Republic Airlines Charlotte, Philadelphia D

Atlantic Aviation

Due to access restrictions, Wings Air (USA) currently operates from the Atlantic Aviation Fixed base operator facility and provides shuttle transportation for passengers connecting to the main passenger terminals.[39] GeorgiaSkies won gate access at the airport and moved its operations from the Atlantic Aviation facility to the International Concourse E at the main passenger terminal.[40]

Airlines Destinations
Wings Air (USA) Lawrenceville[41]

Cargo airlines

Notable events

Crashes en route

Ground facility events

Public safety

On November 16, 2001, a man left the secure area to retrieve his camera bag, which he had left behind, and then tried to bypass the wait at the security checkpoint by running the wrong way down the escalators at the secure area's exit. As a result, the entire airport was evacuated, including all aircraft, and operations halted for three hours.[43]

The man said that he tried to bypass the security line because he would be late for a flight he was taking to see a Georgia Bulldogs football game. As part of his sentence, he was not allowed to attend any Bulldogs games for the 2002 season.[44]

From December 2006 to March 2007, there were 30 arrests for indecent exposure involving reported sex acts in airport bathrooms.[45] Several prominent persons were arrested, including an advisor for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a Spelman College professor, and the Chairman of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority board of directors.[46]

Lightning strike

In 2009, a severe thunderstorm on the evening of April 23 caused a lightning strike directly to the control tower at 8:45 (20:45) EDT. The airport was already in a ground stop due to dangerous wind shear, and four minutes after the strike, the tower was evacuated after a smoke odor was detected. After returning at 9:10, a power outage at 9:20 caused further problems, including major flight delays and diversions due also to the lightning (at over 1000 strikes per hour) and large amounts of hail that continued in the vicinity. Partial power outages continued to affect the airport and the northern runway lighting for more than an hour afterward, leaving only three other runways to handle the backlog. An FAA official said that neither the new nor the old tower had been struck in at least 18 years.[47] Several storm chasers 4–5 miles east of the airport reported a wall cloud and descending funnel during the severe thunderstorm.

In culture

Best Buy Express vending machine in a terminal

As the dominant airport in the Southern United States, and the nation's busiest in terms of passengers handled (mainly due to being Delta's flagship hub), there is an old joke in the South which states that, upon one's death, regardless of whether he or she goes to Heaven or Hell he or she will connect in Atlanta to get there.[48][49][50][51][52][53]

Other notes

Air traffic controllers for tower and ground control operations refer to the letter "D" using the word "Dixie" instead of the ICAO phonetic term "Delta" to avoid confusion with Delta Air Lines aircraft (note the use of "DIXIE" for taxiway "D" in the FAA's airport diagram, listed in the external links below).

The People Mover's recorded announcements list "Concourse D as in David," rather than "Delta" or "Dixie."

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Year-to-Date Passenger Data" (PDF). Department of Aviation, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. December 2009. http://www.atlanta-airport.com/docs/Traffic/200912.pdf. Retrieved 2010-06-15. 
  2. ↑ "Atlanta airport still the "busiest"". Hartsfield-Jackson. 2010-01-04. Archived from the original on 2007-01-06. http://web.archive.org/web/20070106042352/http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2007/01/04/0104airport.html. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Fact Sheet". City of Atlanta. February 2007. http://www.atlanta-airport.com/Airport/ATL/ATL_FactSheet.aspx. Retrieved 2008-06-12. 
  4. ↑ Zoning Ordinance, City of Atlanta, Georgia
  5. ↑ "City Maps." City of College Park. Retrieved on May 25, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Official Zoning Map." City of Hapeville. Retrieved on May 19, 2009.
  7. ↑ Garrett, Franklin, Atlanta and Its Environs, 1954, Vol.II, p.851
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "Airport History". Atlanta-airport.com. http://www.atlanta-airport.com/Airport/ATL/Airport_History.aspx. Retrieved 2010-03-11. 
  9. ↑ (book) Sunshine Skies: Historic Commuter Airlines of Florida and Georgia. Atlanta, Georgia: Zeus Press. November 2008. p. 262. ISBN 9781440424748. http://www.sunshineskies.net/book.html. 
  10. ↑ "Maynard Jackson Jr". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 2003-06-25. http://www.legacy.com/ATLANTA/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=1113182. Retrieved 2008-06-12. 
  11. ↑ "Atlanta International Airport: Fifth Runway". City of Atlanta. May 2006. http://www.atlanta-airport.com/sublevels/airport_info/5thMain.htm. 
  12. ↑ "Flat Rock Cemetery". http://tomitronics.com/flat%20rock%20cemetery/index.html. Retrieved 2009-09-09. 
  13. ↑ "Aviation "Bridges" the Gap for Future Growth". Williams-Russell and Johnson, Inc. http://www.wrjinc.com/index.php?pid=95. Retrieved 2008-06-12. 
  14. ↑ "Atlanta International Airport: Benchmark Results" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. 2004. http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/publications/bench/DOWNLOAD/pdf/ATL_2004.pdf. 
  15. ↑ Airport Business
  16. ↑ David M. Halbfinger (2003-08-13). "Atlanta Is Divided Over Renaming Airport for Former Mayor". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/13/us/atlanta-is-divided-over-renaming-airport-for-former-mayor.html. Retrieved 2009-06-19. 
  17. ↑ Airline Industry Information (2003-10-21). "Atlanta airport to be renamed Hartsfield–Jackson". AllBusiness.com. http://www.allbusiness.com/operations/shipping-air-freight/663285-1.html. Retrieved 2009-06-19. 
  18. ↑ Tharpe, Jim (2007-03-18). "An end-around to efficiency: Hartsfield–Jackson strip offers safety, boosts capacity". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on 2007-03-22. http://web.archive.org/web/20070322165005/http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2007/03/18/0319metairport.html. 
  19. ↑ "Airport Hoping to Flush Away Less Water". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 2007-10-29. http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2007/10/28/airportdrought_1029.html. Retrieved 2008-06-12. 
  20. ↑ "Fewer, Faster Flushes for Airport Toilets". WSB TV. 2007-10-29. http://www.wsbtv.com/drought/14448080/detail.html. Retrieved 2008-06-13. 
  21. ↑ "Drought: Macon Offers Water to ATL Airport". Georgia Public Broadcasting News. 2007-10-24. http://gpbnews.blogspot.com/2007/10/drought-macon-offers-water-to-atl.html. Retrieved 2008-06-13. 
  22. ↑ "Financial Statements June 30, 2007 and 2006" (PDF). City of Atlanta, Georgia Department of Aviation. http://www.atlanta-airport.com/sublevels/airport_info/pdfs/FY07DOAFinancials.pdf. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Ramos, Rachel Tobin (2007-09-21). "Hartsfield project costs soar to $9B". Atlanta Business Chronicle. http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2007/09/24/story2.html. Retrieved 2007-11-01. 
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 "Rental Car Center (RCC) – Construction". Atlanta-airport.com. http://www.atlanta-airport.com/RentalCarCenter/RentalCarCenter_FAQ.aspx. Retrieved 2010-03-11. 
  25. ↑ "HJAIA – Airport Construction". City of Atlanta. http://atlanta-airport.com/sublevels/airport_info/construction.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-01. 
  26. ↑ "HJAIA – Maynard Holbrook Jackson, Jr. International Terminal". City of Atlanta. http://www.atlanta-airport.com/fifth/ceela.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-01. 
  27. ↑ "City Sued Over Airport Terminal". 11Alive.com. 2005-08-17. http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=67892. 
  28. ↑ Jim Tharpe (2008-02-27). "Passenger Perks the Buzz of Proposed International Terminal". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/business/stories/2008/02/27/airport_0228.html. Retrieved 2008-06-12. 
  29. ↑ "New Passenger Complex to Handle Growing Airport Needs". Hartsfield–Jackson News. December 2005. http://www.atlantaairportbusinessopportunities.com/hjn/2005/12/dvlp2.htm. 
  30. ↑ "Construction – Maynard". Atlanta-airport.com. http://www.atlanta-airport.com/forms/airport/frmAirportinformationConstruction_Maynard.aspx. Retrieved 2010-03-11. 
  31. ↑ "2005 Annual Report" (PDF). City of Atlanta Department of Aviation. http://www.atlanta-airport.com/sublevels/airport_info/pdfs/2005%20Annual%20Report_Website.pdf. Retrieved 2008-06-12. 
  32. ↑ http://www.atlanta-airport.com/docs/terminal/mt_11_08.pdf
  33. ↑ "Airport History". Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. http://www.atlanta-airport.com/sublevels/airport_info/histpage.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-12. 
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 "Transportation Mall/People Mover". Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. http://www.atlanta-airport.com/sublevels/customer_service/mallpage.htm. Retrieved 2007-07-06. 
  35. ↑ "Hartsfield people mover = The Plane Train". Atlanta Business Chronicle. August 10, 2010. http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2010/08/09/daily21.html. Retrieved August 10, 2010. 
  36. ↑ "Airport Station Helper". Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. http://www.itsmarta.com/explore/airporthelp.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-12. 
  37. ↑ http://pressroom.airtran.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=201565&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1458772&highlight=
  38. ↑ "GeorgiaSkies : 877-849-4997 : Go Green!". Pacificwings.com. http://www.pacificwings.com/gsky/gs/airport-information.asp?sct=atlanta. Retrieved 2010-03-11. 
  39. ↑ "GeorgiaSkies – Atlanta, Georgia (ATL)". GeorgiaSkies. http://www.pacificwings.com/gsky/gs/airport-information.asp?sct=atlanta. Retrieved 2009-03-02. 
  40. ↑ Fain, Travis (2009-10-29). "Georgia Skies now has gate access at Atlanta airport – Related stories". Macon.com. http://www.macon.com/532/story/896720.html. Retrieved 2010-03-11. 
  41. ↑ http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/02/02/daily102.html
  42. ↑ "Altered taxiway cited in crash that killed 49". International Herald Tribune. 2009-08-28. http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/08/28/news/crash.php. Retrieved 2008-09-27. 
  43. ↑ "Suspect in custody in Atlanta airport incident". CNN. 2001-11-16. http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/11/16/rec.hartsfield.evacuation/index.html. Retrieved 2007-08-02. 
  44. ↑ Font size Print E-mail Share By Bootie Cosgrove-Mather (2002-03-06). "Fan Gets Jail Time For Airport Shutdown". CBS News. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/03/06/national/main503151.shtml. Retrieved 2010-03-11. 
  45. ↑ Shirek, Jon (2007-03-31). "Delta Employee Suspended for Sex Arrest". 11 Alive News. http://www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=94543&provider=top. 
  46. ↑ Donsky, Paul (2007-03-15). "MARTA chairman won't resign: Ed Wall arrested for having sex in airport bathroom". Atlanta Journal Constitution. http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/atlanta/stories/2007/03/15/0315metwall.html?imw=Y. 
  47. ↑ "Atlanta airport reopens after lightning strike". CNN.com. 2009-04-23. http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/23/ga.airport.storms/. Retrieved 2010-03-11. 
  48. ↑ King, Wayne. "All of the South Changing Planes at Atlanta; Complaints Are Rising More Service Sought Another Disturbing Fact Petitions to C.A.B." The New York Times. Thursday July 27, 1978. A14. Retrieved on August 4, 2009.
  49. ↑ Rawls, Wendell, Jr. "Atlanta Opening New Air Terminal." The New York Times. Sunday September 14, 1980. Travel Page XX16. Retrieved on August 4, 2009.
  50. ↑ Moorhead, Jim. "Flying Is More Than Taking Off." The Evening Independent. October 25, 1980. 1B. 8 of 32 at Google News. Retrieved on August 4, 2009.
  51. ↑ Martin. Janice. "Hooray for Ray, a pilot too fed up to take off." St. Petersburg Times. Saturday July 26, 1986. 1-B. Google News 15 of 94. Retrieved on August 4, 2009.
  52. ↑ Warner, Gary A. "Flight Layovers / Essay -- Stuck In Atlanta: The Pits In The Heart Of The Peach." The Orange County Register at The Seattle Times. Sunday March 16, 1997. Retrieved on August 4, 2009.
  53. ↑ Nance, John. "Flying Like a CEO." ABC News. August 3, 2006. 1. Retrieved on August 4, 2009.

External links


Airports of metro Atlanta
Commercial
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
General aviation
Cobb County Airport (RYY) • Cherokee County Airport (47A) • Clayton County Airport (4A7) • Cartersville Airport (VPC) • Gwinnett County Airport (LZU) • Newnan-Coweta County Airport (CCO) • Peachtree-DeKalb Airport (PDK) • Fulton County Airport (FTY) • Paulding County Regional Airport (PUJ) • Falcon Field (FFC)
Military
Naval Air Station Atlanta and Dobbins Air Reserve Base (MGE)
Private
Mathis Airport (GA27) • Stone Mountain Airport (00A) • Parkaire Field
Atlanta landmarks
Current

Atlanta Botanical Garden • Atlanta City Hall • Atlanta Civic Center • Atlanta Cyclorama • Atlanta History Center • Atlanta Symphony Hall • Atlantic Station • The Big Chicken • Bobby Dodd Stadium • Centennial Olympic Park • Center for Puppetry Arts • Chattahoochee River • Clermont Lounge • CNN Center • Fernbank Museum of Natural History • Fernbank Science Center • Fox Theatre • Georgia Aquarium • Georgia Dome • Georgia Governor's Mansion • Georgia International Convention Center • Georgia State Capitol • Georgia World Congress Center • Grant Park • Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport • High Museum of Art • Jimmy Carter Library and Museum • Joel Chandler Harris House (Wren's Nest) • Lenox Square • Margaret Mitchell House & Museum • Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historic Site • Mary Mac's Tea Room • Millennium Gate • Oakland Cemetery • Philips Arena • Phipps Plaza • Piedmont Park • Stone Mountain • Tech Tower • The Tabernacle • The Varsity • Turner Field • Underground Atlanta • Winecoff Hotel • Woodruff Arts Center • Woodruff Park • World of Coca-Cola • Zoo Atlanta
Former

Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium • Coca-Cola Olympic City • Loew's Grand Theatre • National Museum of Patriotism • Omni Coliseum • Ponce de Leon Park • Rich's • SciTrek • Terminal Station • Union Station
Major airports of the United States

Atlanta (Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport - ATL) · Baltimore (Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport - BWI) · Boston (Logan International Airport - BOS) · Charlotte (Charlotte/Douglas International Airport - CLT) · Chicago (Chicago Midway International Airport - MDW) · Chicago (O'Hare International Airport - ORD) · Cincinnati (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport - CVG) · Dallas-Fort Worth (Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport - DFW) · Denver (Denver International Airport - DEN) · Detroit (Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport - DTW) · Fort Lauderdale (Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport - FLL) · Honolulu (Honolulu International Airport - HNL) · Houston (George Bush Intercontinental Airport - IAH) · Las Vegas (McCarran International Airport - LAS) · Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport - LAX) · Miami (Miami International Airport - MIA) · Minneapolis – Saint Paul (Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport - MSP) · Newark (Newark Liberty International Airport - EWR) · New York (John F. Kennedy International Airport - JFK) · New York (LaGuardia Airport - LGA) · Orlando (Orlando International Airport - MCO) · Philadelphia (Philadelphia International Airport - PHL) · Phoenix (Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport - PHX) · Salt Lake City (Salt Lake City International Airport - SLC) · San Diego (San Diego International Airport - SAN) · San Francisco (San Francisco International Airport - SFO) · Seattle (Seattle–Tacoma International Airport - SEA) · Tampa (Tampa International Airport - TPA) · Washington, D.C. (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport - DCA) · Washington, D.C. (Washington Dulles International Airport - IAD)