That Atlanta airport saying

February 6, 2008 3:37 PM

Isn't there some saying about "before you die/live life, you'll connect through Atlanta", referring to ATL being a huge hub airport? How does it go exactly? Google-fu failing and all that.
posted by tinkertown to media & arts (9 comments total)

It's something to do with when you die, and how in order "to get to heaven or hell, you have to connect through Atlanta."
posted by paleography at 4:02 PM on February 6

"If you're going to Hell you'll go through Atlanta first."
posted by konolia at 4:22 PM on February 6

There are several variations on that saying... I've always heard: "When you die, whether you're going to heaven or hell, you'll have to connect through Atlanta."

Atlanta is often cited as the world's busiest airport, competing with O'Hare. Over 30 different airlines run passengers through it, and it's Delta's busiest, AirTran's busiest, and there's swift cargo business as well. This primarily refers to domestic flights, though, as JFK (I think) does more international. The Hartsfield web site notes 84,846,639 passengers in 2006, and 976,447 take-offs and landings.
posted by sadiehawkinstein at 4:23 PM on February 6

According to this site:

"In this region of the United States there is a saying that 'Whether you go to heaven or hell, you have to pass through Atlanta's airport to connect!"

That's the only instance Google finds of that exact phrasing. This guy has a slightly different variant.
posted by mumkin at 4:23 PM on February 6

I seem to recall hearing a similar phrase growing up on Long Island - "Even if you want to go to hell you have to change at Jamaica!" - Jamaica station being a big interchange station on the Long Island Railroad.
posted by pombe at 4:49 PM on February 6

What I've heard is closer to Konolia's answer -- after you die you'll know you're going to hell if you have to change planes in Atlanta. It's not because Atlanta's a hub, it's because it's a friggin' pain of an airport. Too big, lotsa delays, that kind of thing.
posted by JanetLand at 6:27 PM on February 6

"Even when you die you have to connect through Atlanta." I hear this aaaaaall the time since I live in Savannah and thats the only place our airport flies.
posted by thebrokenmuse at 6:41 PM on February 6

"In the Southeast they say that if you want to go to heaven you have to change planes in Atlanta."
posted by Exchequer at 8:42 PM on February 6

I believe that the equivalent in continental Europe is Frankfurt.
posted by oaf at 3:52 PM on February 7