'No excuse': Ex-Obama transportation head calls Atlanta Airport blackout a 'total and abject failure'

A former chief of the U.S. Department of Transportation under President Barack Obama said that the total power failure at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport -- the world's busiest airport -- is inexcusable and represents a "total and abject failure" by administrators to prepare for an emergency.

The Hill said Sunday night that Anthony Foxx was stuck on a Delta flight outside the airport when he wrote, "Total and abject failure here at ATL Airport today. I am stuck on @delta flight, passengers and crew tolerating it. But there is no excuse for lack of workable redundant power source. NONE!"

Foxx was President Obama's Secretary of Transportation from 2013 to 2017.

"The airport canceled nearly 700 flights as a result, and delayed almost 600 others, NBC News reported," The Hill said. "275,000 passengers come through the travel hub each day, while 2,500 flights arrive and depart the airport on a daily basis."