350K Travelers Warning

ATL’s official travel guidance includes a “5 Tips for Navigating ATL” page that tells passengers to plan to arrive two to three hours before departure during peak periods and lists terminal‑specific advice. (atl.com) Local officials and airport statements point to Transportation Security Administration staffing shortages tied to the partial federal government shutdown as a key factor behind lengthening security lines at Hartsfield‑Jackson. (cbsnews.com) Severe thunderstorms earlier this week triggered a temporary ground stop that added to congestion and helped push some TSA wait times toward roughly two hours, according to airport reports and local coverage. (cbsnews.com) Flight tracking data aggregated by FlightAware show 3,053 total cancellations and delays affecting flights into and out of ATL since Monday, a tally cited in reporting on the disruptions. (axios.com) The City of Atlanta rolled out support for unpaid TSA officers — including meal vouchers, free MARTA Breeze passes and other concessions — in a March 16 press release and related local reporting that say agents are receiving two meal vouchers per shift and free parking access. (atlantaga.gov) ATL is instructing travelers to use the airport’s real‑time TSA wait‑time tool and to follow airline communications for flight status; its passenger security page also reiterates that only ticketed passengers are allowed past security checkpoints. (atl.com)