US: Airlines waive change fees for Atlanta because of snow potential

Airlines are waiving change fees for flights to Atlanta on Friday because of the threat of wintry weather. American, Delta and United – the USA’s three biggest airlines – all enacted weather-related waivers Thursday. The waivers cover Friday flights to or from Atlanta, which was expected to see wet weather fall at near-freezing temperatures. The National Weather Service had issued a winter weather advisory for the region, including Atlanta’s airport. While the prospects of snow appeared limited, the weather service warned that “brief ‘bursts’ of snow” could leave spotty accumulations of a half-inch to an inch. Any snow that did accumulate was expected to quickly melt, according to the advisory. Cold rain seemed likely for most parts of the metro area, perhaps with wet snow mixing in. Still, even the hint of snow can create panic in Atlanta. The Southern metropolis sees snow infrequently, and light accumulations have been known to paralyze the city before. While the weather was unlikely to create major flight problems at the world’s busiest airport, the airline advisories added flexibility for fliers worried about traveling to or from the airport if Atlanta does in fact see accumulating snow. The waivers were especially notable for Delta, which is by far the dominant carrier there. Delta runs its busiest hub in Atlanta, connecting thousands of passengers through the airport every day. <br/>