Power failure cripples U.S. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport

Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the world's busiest airport, was hit on Sunday by a power outage, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and planes grounded indefinitely.

Passengers affected by a widespread power outage wait in long lines at the International Terminal of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., December 17, 2017. [Photo: IC]

The airport confirmed the issue on Twitter at 1:32 p.m. ET, saying that the outage had "impacted several areas in the airport" and that crews were "working to remedy the situation." 

"We are aware of a situation currently being investigated at this time and will share more information as it becomes available." Georgia Power added at 2:16 p.m. 

Currently the cause of the outrage remains unknown. 

Hartsfield-Jackson handles 2,500 flights and an average of 275,000 passengers daily, according to its website. Atlanta is the capital of the U.S. state of Georgia.