More Than 4,000 Cancelled As Omicron Creates Airline Staff Shortage

Topline

More than 4,000 flights were cancelled Sunday, more than half of which were in the U.S., as new coronavirus infections driven by the omicron variant continue to cause staff shortages at airlines and airports amid a busy holiday travel season.

Key Facts

Worldwide, 4,020 flights had been cancelled by Sunday afternoon, according to flight tracker FlightAware, with 2,393 of the cancelled journeys being within, into, or out of the U.S.

Another 4,519 U.S. flights were delayed Sunday, according to the tracker.

The airport most affected by cancellations is Chicago O’Hare, where 273 flights – 26% of those planned – were shuttered Sunday, as the surrounding Cook County grapples with a record number of coronavirus infections and a snowstorm.

Regional carrier SkyWest Airlines cancelled 510 flights Sunday, or 21% of its scheduled trips, while airlines like Southwest, JetBlue and Delta also reported more than 100 cancellations each.

Snowstorms, freezing temperatures and severe weather across the country have also compounded airlines’ woes by preventing flights from operating as scheduled. 

Key Background

Mass flight cancellations were first reported in the days before Christmas as both air travel and coronavirus infections ramped up. Last week, Dr. Anthony Fauci told MSNBC that the government should consider requiring coronavirus vaccines for domestic flights. The surge of coronavirus cases reported in the U.S. has been driven by the omicron variant, which early studies suggest is more transmissible and makes up the majority of new infections in the U.S.

Further Reading

U.S. Flight Cancellations Hit New Holiday Peak—More Than 2,600 Scrapped On New Year’s Day (Forbes)

FAA Warns Of More Flight Delays As ‘Increased Number’ Of Workers Test Positive For Covid (Forbes)