Delta Diversions due to ATL Weather
#1
formerly CVFDCHIEF180
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Delta Diversions due to ATL Weather
Lots of DL flights into ATL this evening were diverted due to weather. While its normal to see this saw some fairly odd diversions.....for example DL 2392 scheduled to operate GNV-ATL diverted to TLH? Why did they let all these short flights take off only to divert them to another close airport? GSP-ATL was diverted to DAB and the most bizarre of all was a TLH-ATL flight was diverted back to ECP......makes no sense at all. Saw flights diverted to BHM and SAV also among others.
It is going to be a mess and a zoo in ATL tonight!
It is going to be a mess and a zoo in ATL tonight!
#2
Join Date: Mar 2006
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The thunderstorm was unexpected. We had a 0% chance listed all day until 5:45 when suddenly the storm on the GA/TN border shifted south and we got heavy winds and rain.
ATL wasnt on the FAA traffic management plan for today.
ATL wasnt on the FAA traffic management plan for today.
#3
formerly CVFDCHIEF180
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Oh ok.....I have been watching the weather move S/SE all day towards that direction
#5
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I was driving on I-85 past the airport this evening. Winds were horrific just south of the airport, whipping around like I have never experienced in a car. It would have been challenging to fly through on the approaches, I suspect.
#6
Join Date: Mar 2003
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I was stuck in traffic trying to get to Piedmont Park for my evening twelve-thousand-degree run, when I checked the radar ... and decided to self-divert back home lol. (Or would that be a gate return?)
#7
Join Date: Feb 2015
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Definitely looks like a fun (or, not so fun, evening in the SE). At one point I counted 6 DL jets on the ground at ECP. 2 were regular ops, 4 were diverts. ECP only has 7 gates, only 2 of which are for DL and the rest are used by other carriers.
Gotta love summer tstorm season in the south. And for my trip home next month to ECP Im living boldly and booked a return mid afternoon
Gotta love summer tstorm season in the south. And for my trip home next month to ECP Im living boldly and booked a return mid afternoon

#9
Join Date: Mar 2005
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According to flightaware.com, the GNV-ATL which was diverted to TLH was on the ground there for about 2 hours, and then finally got to ATL at 2309 (wheels up from GNV was at 1756). Flightaware showed that DL2392 had made it as far as the Columbus, GA area when it started to circle; it made a paperclip track, before being sent due south of Columbus to TLH, where it landed at 1933.
#10
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 729
Decisions on where to divert are based on many factors. Some but not all include onboard fuel, airport fuel availability, gate/air stair options, weather, crew availability if operating crew is near limits, ramp space, maintenance that might be needed, FAA airspace closures, hotel availability, runway/taxiway weight limits ect..
#11
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You'd think that with the weather issues over the past few weeks from tstorms popping up all over the place, they'd be loading more fuel on flights to allow for more than a 20 min hold in order to avoid diverting. Its got to be more costly for one divert than the additional fuel burn from tankering a bit more fuel on dozens of flights.
#13

Join Date: Jan 2013
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Lots of DL flights into ATL this evening were diverted due to weather. While its normal to see this saw some fairly odd diversions.....for example DL 2392 scheduled to operate GNV-ATL diverted to TLH? Why did they let all these short flights take off only to divert them to another close airport? GSP-ATL was diverted to DAB and the most bizarre of all was a TLH-ATL flight was diverted back to ECP......makes no sense at all. Saw flights diverted to BHM and SAV also among others.
It is going to be a mess and a zoo in ATL tonight!
It is going to be a mess and a zoo in ATL tonight!

#14
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Definitely looks like a fun (or, not so fun, evening in the SE). At one point I counted 6 DL jets on the ground at ECP. 2 were regular ops, 4 were diverts. ECP only has 7 gates, only 2 of which are for DL and the rest are used by other carriers.
Gotta love summer tstorm season in the south. And for my trip home next month to ECP Im living boldly and booked a return mid afternoon
Gotta love summer tstorm season in the south. And for my trip home next month to ECP Im living boldly and booked a return mid afternoon

#15
Join Date: Mar 2003
Programs: former MD-88 jumpseat Medallion. DL GM, AA PLT. Marriott LT Plat.
Posts: 742
You'd think that with the weather issues over the past few weeks from tstorms popping up all over the place, they'd be loading more fuel on flights to allow for more than a 20 min hold in order to avoid diverting. Its got to be more costly for one divert than the additional fuel burn from tankering a bit more fuel on dozens of flights.

BHM got this party started with 6 diverts right off the bat, and I think ended up with 8 total. I believe AGS got 4. CSG isn't authorized for DL mainline, only Delta Connection. Once the close-in stations are full, if you can't legally drop the alternate from the flight plan, you have to start naming alternates further and further out. But the alternate time / burn includes a missed approach at the destination (ATL in this case) and THEN the fuel to fly to the alternate airport, plus your 45 minute domestic fuel reserves. This is regulatory.
If you don't have the gas on the jet to do all of that, your only option is to "change destination" to city XXX and go directly there. You're freeing up fuel, but cutting your losses. Given the direction of that line of wx, north to south, and the locations of the holding stacks on the SE and SW arrivals, I'm not surprised that the gulf coast stations took diversions. Although personally, I'd rather be the only diversion in ECP, versus 1 of 8 in BHM anyways.