Atlanta Airport Opens Fifth Runway to Ease Gridlocks

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport commissioned a long-awaited fifth runway May 16 with two ceremonial flights and will open it fully for commercial operations May 27 –an addition it expects will substantially reduce delays at the world´s busiest airport and justify the $1.3 billion cost.

Delta, the airport´s largest carrier with more than 40 percent of its customers flying to, from or through the airport, said it expects the runway to immediately improve the airports´ arrival and departure rates by 25 percent to 35 percent.

Delta also expects the additional capacity to significantly reduce delays for its customers using the airport during severe weather and peak travel periods.

The airport had an on-time arrival rate of 76.5 percent and an on-time departure rate of 77.6 percent in March, according to the most recently released Department of Transportation statistics.