$DAL $JBLU $AAL $LUV  and I'm probably forgetting some...

Mother's Day travel turned into a logistical nightmare for many, especially those passing through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the world's busiest hubs. A morning runway equipment malfunction triggered a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ground stop, effectively halting all departing flights and significantly slowing arrivals. This sudden disruption cascaded throughout the national air traffic system, leading to hundreds of delayed flights across various airlines and airports.   

The ripple effects were felt immediately as families trying to reunite for Mother's Day found themselves stuck in terminals or on grounded planes. Airlines scrambled to manage the chaos, rebook passengers, and address the growing frustration among travelers. While the ground stop was lifted after a couple of hours, the backlog of flights and the sheer volume of Mother's Day weekend travelers meant that delays persisted throughout the day. This incident not only impacted domestic travel but also caused disruptions for international carriers operating in and out of Atlanta, highlighting the fragility of the interconnected global air travel network during peak travel periods.