Severe thunderstorms hit Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Friday evening, causing significant disruptions to air travel during the busy Fourth of July holiday period. The storms, which brought lightning, hail, and strong winds, forced the temporary evacuation of the air traffic control tower and led to hundreds of flight cancellations, primarily affecting Delta Air Lines, the airport's major carrier [1][3].

Delta Air Lines reported that over 100 aircraft required inspection due to potential hail damage [2][4]. The airline had to cancel more than 380 flights on Saturday alone, representing about 15% of its total operations for the day [1]. The disruptions occurred during a peak travel period for the Fourth of July holiday, affecting thousands of travelers [3].

"Delta people are working as safely and quickly as possible to recover flights impacted by thunderstorms, lightning, hail and winds at our Atlanta hub Friday night," the airline said in a statement [5]. Delta Chief Customer Experience Officer Erik Snell apologized to affected customers, stating, "When we fall short, we work around the clock to make it right" [1].

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented a ground stop at the airport between 7:11 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Friday, halting all takeoffs and landings [2]. The severe weather also caused flash flooding in the area, prompting the FAA to issue a flood warning [4].

As of Sunday midday, flight disruptions began to ease, with Delta canceling only 56 mainline flights, down from 581 on Saturday [1]. However, the airline warned that some disruptions might continue through the weekend as they work to restore normal operations [3].

The incident highlights the vulnerability of air travel to severe weather events, especially at major hubs like Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which is considered the busiest airport in the United States [2]. As millions of travelers are expected to fly during the Fourth of July holiday week, the timely recovery of operations is crucial for Delta and other affected airlines [1].

Passengers with travel plans through Atlanta are advised to check their flight status and stay in touch with their airline for the latest updates. Delta has stated that it will reimburse certain expenses for customers directly affected by the disruptions [1].