Omicron issues, weather prompt more flight cancellations, delays
Flight disruptions triggered by weather and coronavirus-related staffing shortages eased slightly Tuesday, but they still amounted to more than 1,100 cancellations, stranding holiday travelers across the country as many try to return home.
The cancellations were down from Sunday and Monday, when more than 1,400 flights - including domestic trips and flights in and out of the United States - were scrubbed each day, according to FlightAware.
Across the country, airlines are trying to reschedule hundreds of delayed and canceled trips for passengers scrambling to get home after the holidays. The fast-spreading omicron variant of the coronavirus began to overwhelm airlines just before Christmas, teaming up with pockets of wintry weather to disrupt flight schedules as millions of Americans traveled to visit family.
More than 2 million people flew Monday, according to the Transportation Security Administration - a robust figure in the pandemic era, and a continuing sign that the virus is not deterring people from boarding planes.
The cancellations come as the travel industry attempts to recover from a pandemic that choked off air travel, forcing airlines to rely on tens of billions of dollars in federal aid. With passenger counts over the Thanksgiving holiday approaching 90 percent of 2019 levels, airlines were optimistic about a continuing December rebound, only to be caught flat-footed by the virus’ latest variant.
Some possible relief came Monday as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shortened the recommended isolation period for fully vaccinated employees from 10 days to five, helping crew members resume work more quickly. Airlines had lobbied for the change last week.
Delta Air Lines, which led the industry’s push for the change, said it was working to implement the new guidance and that it should provide more flexibility to schedule crews.
“This is a safe, science-based and more practical approach based on what we now know about the omicron variant,” said Henry Ting, the airline’s chief health officer.
Nonetheless, the airline said it expected to cancel 250 of its 4,133 scheduled flights Tuesday.
Southwest Airlines, which said it canceled about 80 flights Tuesday because of bad weather, said it’s working with medical experts to fully understand the CDC’s new standards.
Unions expressed concern about changing the standards, which apply to people who are asymptomatic. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, said she worried the CDC had set a guideline that was closely aligned with the requests of business leaders.
“If any business pressures a worker to return to work before they feel better we will make clear it is an unsafe work environment, which will cause a much greater disruption than any ‘staffing shortages,’ “Nelson said in a statement.
It’s not clear how much of a difference the policy change will make because airlines haven’t disclosed details about caseloads among employees. Some airlines, as well as the TSA and Federal Aviation Administration, say that while they have seen a surge in cases, their operations haven’t been affected.
United Airlines reported 93 canceled flights Tuesday - 22 fewer than Monday - out of 4,000 scheduled flights. The cancellations were related to staffing issues caused by the omicron variant, the company said.
“We’re sorry for the disruption and are working hard to rebook as many people as possible and get them on their way during the holidays,” the airline said in a statement.