U.S. Flight Cancellations Hit New Holiday Peak—More Than 2,400 Scrapped On New Year’s Day

Topline

The United States saw 2,404 flight cancellations on Saturday, a new peak this holiday season that is still rising as poor weather conditions and staff shortages due to the coronavirus’ omicron variant have left thousands stranded on New Year’s Day.

A passenger wearing a respiratory mask speaks on her smartphone by the departures board on January … [+] 31, 2020 at Rome’s Fiumicino airport, as a number of airlines halted or reduced flights to China as the country struggles to contain the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus. – The Italian government said on January 30, 2020 it was suspending all flights between Italy and China, adding it was the first EU government to do so. China has advised its citizens to postpone trips abroad and cancelled overseas group tours, while several countries have urged their citizens to avoid travel to China. (Photo by Tiziana FABI / AFP) (Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)

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Key Facts

Cancellations jumped by nearly 800 flights over the past day, passing the previous 2021 holiday-high of 1,625 on New Year’s Eve, according to the flight-tracker FlightAware.

Southwest cancelled 13% of its flights on Saturday—471—a high among U.S. airlines and trailing only China Eastern for the most worldwide, with the airline citing the winter storm Frida to Forbes as the primary reason for the cancellations.

JetBlue delayed 167 flights, 16% of its total fleet for New Year’s Day.

Chicago has been hit the hardest, with its two airports, Midway international and O’Hare International, recording over 1,000 cancellations combined as a winter storm warning remains in effect in the midwest—Midway saw 58% of its flights cancelled on New Year’s Day.

On Friday, the Federal Aviation administration told Forbes it expects flight delays throughout the weekend due to Covid-19-related staffing shortages.

In a press release Thursday, Delta Airlines projected 200-300 daily cancellations for the weekend due to the omicron variant of the coronavirus along with inclement weather (the airline cancelled 122 flights on Friday and 185 so far on Saturday).

Big Number

Over 4,100. That’s how many flights have been canceled worldwide on January 1.

Surprising Fact

Total traveler throughput dipped on New Year’s Eve by nearly 700,000 compared to 2020, from roughly 2.3 million down to 1.6 million, according to the Transportation Security Administration’s checkpoint data.

Crucial Quote

“The nationwide spike in Omicron cases has had a direct impact on our flight crews and the people who run our operation,” United Airlines told Forbes. The airline has cancelled 221 flights so far on Saturday.

Key Background

The omicron variant has continued to spread at an alarming rate across the U.S., with over 585,000 reported new cases on December 30—a new record-high, according to the New York Times’ tracking data. The Centers for Disease Control on Monday lowered its recommended quarantine time for those that test positive for Covid-19 from 10 days to five days, with airlines requesting the change from the CDC days prior “for fear of significant disruptions to our workforce and operations.” Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House’s chief medical advisor, told CNN on Tuesday the shift was implemented in part to bring employees back sooner and “keep society running smoothly.”

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Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/masonbissada/2022/01/01/us-flight-cancellations-hit-new-holiday-peak-more-than-2400-scrapped-on-new-years-day/