Originally Posted by Josher747

While I can't give a specific reason why the plane was "towed" to the gate late, towing planes from hangars or remote stands in Atlanta isn't easy.. The "tugs" are actually "super tugs" that have the ability to pull these aircraft across the airfield.. They must cross active runways, so coordination with ATC at all times is necessary, hence only certain people being certified for this job. If you've ever noticed, there are generally many aircraft sitting in a remote pad on the north side of the airfield, as well as the Delta hangars. This causes traffic jams with idle planes as well..

While there are quite a few more than "1" tug available, it's quite possible they were all being used on a Monday, when a full schedule is in effect after a reduced schedule Sunday where many planes were sitting idle.