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Atlanta airport continues search for general manager

Big leadership changes could be coming to the world's busiest airport.
Delayed and stranded passengers waiting for flight information fill cubicles throughout Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport after a snow storm on January 10, 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jessica McGowan/Getty Images)

After experiencing the worst power outage in the airport’s history on December 17—plunging the airport into darkness for almost 12 hours, stranding more than 30,000 passengers and bringing all flight and ground operations to a halt--sources tell 11Alive a new airport general manager could be on the way.

Click here to find out what caused the power to go out.

11Alive has learned that an active search, first recommended by the Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms transition team, is now underway for an airport General Manager and an announcement could come as early as late March or early April.

The Airport’s current General Manager, Roosevelt Council, Jr., was appointed by former Mayor Kasim Reed. He would also be considered as a candidate if he elects to apply for the post.

In an exclusive one-on-one interview with 11Alive’s Bill Liss last week, Council said the airport has yet to receive large generators for its concourses and North and South terminals which airport officials say are expected to be delivered within six months and perhaps as early as the next six weeks. That would bring back power and serve as a backup until a new redundant system is installed.

That switching system was damaged along with the primary power system when a fire consumed a tunnel under the Concourses where the systems are housed, however, small emergency generators did provide the airport with emergency lighting and the ability of operations personnel to communication with one another. The Airport is working with Georgia Power to solve the power issues.

As they do that, Delta says its looking for compensation for the $40 million dollars it says it lost on the night the power went out. They also say they were forced to cancel more than 400 domestic and international flights.”

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