Atlanta

Delta cancels 170 flights Tuesday in Atlanta with winter storm forecast

A Delta Air Lines jet taking off from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. (Photo: John Spink, AJC)

ATLANTA — Delta Air Lines is canceling 170 flights to and from Atlanta on Tuesday due to a winter storm expected to hit the region.

Atlanta-based Delta typically operates close to 1,000 daily departures during peak periods at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, where it operates its largest hub.

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The storm could bring snow to metro Atlanta Tuesday, according to forecasts.

Delta said it expects up to half an inch of snow accumulation for Atlanta. The airline will de-ice planes during the snowfall with 60 de-icing trucks at the Atlanta airport.

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But Delta will also cancel flights “to mitigate delays and keep the operation moving.”  Southwest Airlines is also canceling some of its flights due to the storm.

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Travelers should check their flight status before heading to the airport.Delta and Southwest, the two largest carriers at the Atlanta airport, are waiving certain fees for customers who have flights booked Tuesday or Wednesday and want to change their travel plans.

With the potential for icy conditions Wednesday morning, Delta and Hartsfield-Jackson plan to treat ramps and runways for ice.

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Hartsfield-Jackson said it has materials to pre-treat runways, taxiways, roads and bridges and to break up ice, in addition to equipment to clear snow from runways and taxiways.

Delta is also dispatching additional employees to the airport to help handle passengers and flights.