Weather could impact holiday travel in the air and on the roads

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The weather could impact air travel during the busy Thanksgiving holiday.

According to the flight tracking website FlightAware, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is reporting more than 300 delays and 2 cancellations as of late afternoon on Tuesday.

Airport officials estimate that 3.6 million people will pass through the Atlanta airport during the Thanksgiving holiday period, with TSA screening around 1.1 million passengers.

All those travelers will have dan

gerous weather to worry about. Meteorologists are predicting storms to roll through the South, bringing strong wind, hail, and possible tornadoes. A winter blast of rain and sleet could also disrupt air travel in the northeast late Tuesday night and into Wednesday.

“It is raining at home but I think we’ll be okay to land,” said Orion Prater, who is flying to New Orleans.

“It is what it is, I can’t control the weather,” said Amy Snow, who is flying to New Jersey.

The Department of Transportation says it’s been working closely with airlines to make sure there aren’t mass cancellations like last December.

“While we can’t control the weather, we will also be using every tool at our disposal to keep cancellations and delays as low as possible in the first place, including working collaboratively with the airlines,” says Pete Buttigieg, Secretary of the Department of Transportation. “If your flight is canceled or significantly delayed for any reason, you are entitled to a full cash refund if you choose to take that refund rather than a rebooking.”

This Wednesday and Sunday are expected to be the busiest days to fly.

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