I knew it would be costly, but I had no idea it would be that much.  Still, though, I don't think I'm quite flipped.  The problem with averages is that they are...average.  There are lower and higher numbers.  Weather data has been kept for so long now that an average is becoming as useless as it is useful.  A city could experience a blizzard dumping 3 feet of snow and this factor would barely be a blip on the line indicating the average annual snowfall.  Even if snow events increase for Atlanta over the next several years, the average will remain largely unchanged.  By the time the "let-it-melt" snow removal crew gets things cleared up, there will have been thousands of flights cancelled, 10's of thousands of passengers stranded and millions of dollars lost.  The cost of preparedness is a small price to pay to prevent such a catastrophe.  Look at what is projected to happen to Continental's 4Q profits from the single event at the end of the year.  Granted, such a massive shut-down would pump millions into the local economy (hotels, food, entertainment), but we're not hotel-spotting enthusiasts.  We want to see profitable airlines so we can watch their uber-cool airplanes!  I'm not saying ATL needs to get as extensive of a collection as many northern airports, but at least a few important items to prevent a total shut-down would be responsible.  It's a significant public health issue to have that many people stranded with nowhere to go.  Preparedness is the responsible avenue and it will--in the long run--contribute to profitability.