Storms and Unrest Disrupt Air Travel at Atlanta Airport

Hundreds of flights delayed or canceled due to Northeast winter storm and civil unrest in Mexico

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A combination of a winter storm in the Northeast and civil unrest in Mexico has caused major disruptions to air travel at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. As of Monday afternoon, there have been over 250 delays and 230 cancellations, with Delta Air Lines also recovering from a technical glitch that hindered check-in and boarding on Sunday.

Why it matters

Atlanta's airport is one of the busiest in the world, so any major disruptions can have ripple effects across the air travel system. The combination of severe weather and political unrest highlights the vulnerabilities of modern air travel and the challenges airports and airlines face in maintaining operations during unexpected events.

The details

The winter storm in the Northeast has grounded thousands of flights, while the unrest in Mexico following a military operation has limited air travel to several airports. Delta Air Lines also experienced a technical glitch on Sunday that hindered check-in and boarding, further compounding the travel issues. Passengers have reported frustration with the delays and cancellations, especially those traveling to destinations unaffected by the weather or unrest.

  • As of 5 p.m. EST on Monday, there have been 250 delays and over 230 cancellations at the Atlanta airport.
  • The technical issue with Delta's check-in and boarding process was resolved on Monday morning.
  • One traveler, Taniel Chemsian, flew home early from Nashville to Puerto Vallarta on Friday to avoid the unrest that erupted on Sunday.

The players

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

One of the busiest airports in the world, serving as a major hub for air travel in the Southeast United States.

Delta Air Lines

A major U.S. airline that experienced a technical glitch on Sunday that hindered check-in and boarding at the Atlanta airport.

Rizzo King

A traveler trying to return to Philadelphia who had his flight canceled due to the winter storm.

Betty Hewell

A traveler trying to return to Austin, Texas, whose flight was delayed and then canceled despite no weather issues in Atlanta or Texas.

Taniel Chemsian

A resident of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, who flew home early from Nashville to avoid the civil unrest that erupted in his city.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I'm going to beat the snow and leave Sunday 4:30 after my appointment, right? And then everything was cool, I beat it, everything was cool, and then my app popped up and said my flight was cancelled before the snow even started.”

— Rizzo King, Traveler (CBS News Atlanta)

“Here we are in Atlanta, the largest airport in the world, trying to get back to Austin, which is also a sizable airport, so I really don't see why there should be any delays.”

— Betty Hewell, Traveler (CBS News Atlanta)

“All of a sudden, I see this black smoke come up, and I hear a few shots, it sounded like guns.”

— Taniel Chemsian, Resident of Puerto Vallarta (CBS News Atlanta)

What’s next

A Hartsfield-Jackson spokesperson says the airport has not yet reached a point where it needs to bring in additional staff to handle the increased volume of delays and cancellations.

The takeaway

The disruptions at the Atlanta airport highlight the vulnerabilities of air travel and the need for airports and airlines to be prepared for unexpected events like severe weather and civil unrest that can have widespread impacts on operations. Travelers may need to be more flexible and proactive in monitoring their flights during periods of heightened disruption.