Senator Proposes State Airport Takeover. City, Airport And Airline Officials Opposed

The Atlanta City Council in November solidified its opposition to a state takeover of the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Council members say that’s a top goal when the Georgia General Assembly begins its session later this month.

M. Spencer Green / Associated Press

Atlanta’s airport is controlled by the city government, and its general manager is appointed by the mayor. But Georgia state Sen. Burt Jones has a different idea. The Republican from Jackson has proposed a state-run authority to take over the airport’s operations. Unsurprisingly, the city doesn’t like that idea.

Since 1998, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International airport has held the title, the “world’s busiest passenger airport.” About 270,000 people come through every day. Over the course of 2018, 107.4 million people did.

And it’s not just a title. It’s meant real dollars, like an estimated $64 billion in economic impact to the state. It’s a big deal and a part of Atlanta’s and Georgia’s identity. That’s something everyone agrees on.