Narrative:

Lack of overtime and tmu contributed to an unsafe situation. Level 6 thunderstorms were building throughout the day in ZTL airspace. The thunderstorms covered most of sectors 11; 10; and 9. The only place we could hold was zzzzz intersection. Sectors 10 and 9 both had a holding pattern at zzzzz. All altitudes were used. Sector 11 had 2 holding patterns -- 1 at moby; 1 offset from mgn. Virtually shut off to overflt traffic. We only had 11 cpc's on a shift that 2 yrs ago when the traffic count was much lower required 16 people to run safely. Tmu did nothing to stop traffic. They offloaded traffic from other fixes to the lgc/honie fix. Then shut us off completely creating a dangerous situation. They did not stop departures from going through the only airspace without WX which was zzzzz intersection where our holding patterns were. Furthermore; in those situations; tmu and A80 are supposed to use a 'tunneling' procedure to keep aircraft at 10000 ft and below for 100 mi to stay clear of holding patterns. Safety was compromised because of ZTL tmu's incompetence and failure to do their job.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZTL CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING SECTOR WORKLOAD ALLEGEDLY BECAUSE OF TFC MGMNT FAILURES; WX FACTORS AND STAFFING.

Narrative: LACK OF OVERTIME AND TMU CONTRIBUTED TO AN UNSAFE SITUATION. LEVEL 6 TSTMS WERE BUILDING THROUGHOUT THE DAY IN ZTL AIRSPACE. THE TSTMS COVERED MOST OF SECTORS 11; 10; AND 9. THE ONLY PLACE WE COULD HOLD WAS ZZZZZ INTXN. SECTORS 10 AND 9 BOTH HAD A HOLDING PATTERN AT ZZZZZ. ALL ALTS WERE USED. SECTOR 11 HAD 2 HOLDING PATTERNS -- 1 AT MOBY; 1 OFFSET FROM MGN. VIRTUALLY SHUT OFF TO OVERFLT TFC. WE ONLY HAD 11 CPC'S ON A SHIFT THAT 2 YRS AGO WHEN THE TFC COUNT WAS MUCH LOWER REQUIRED 16 PEOPLE TO RUN SAFELY. TMU DID NOTHING TO STOP TFC. THEY OFFLOADED TFC FROM OTHER FIXES TO THE LGC/HONIE FIX. THEN SHUT US OFF COMPLETELY CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THEY DID NOT STOP DEPS FROM GOING THROUGH THE ONLY AIRSPACE WITHOUT WX WHICH WAS ZZZZZ INTXN WHERE OUR HOLDING PATTERNS WERE. FURTHERMORE; IN THOSE SITUATIONS; TMU AND A80 ARE SUPPOSED TO USE A 'TUNNELING' PROC TO KEEP ACFT AT 10000 FT AND BELOW FOR 100 MI TO STAY CLR OF HOLDING PATTERNS. SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED BECAUSE OF ZTL TMU'S INCOMPETENCE AND FAILURE TO DO THEIR JOB.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.