The airlines canceled between Friday and Saturday about 4,500 flights worldwide and thousands of itineraries were delayed due to the expansion of the Covid-19 Omicron variant.
According to the website Flightaware, at least 2,000 flights were canceled on Christmas Day, including some 700 with origin or destination in the United States. At the same time, some 1,500 suffered delays, according to a count made this Saturday morning.
On Friday, there were about 2,400 cancellations and 11,000 delays.
Numerous companies consulted by the news agency AFP mentioned as cause of the cancellations the new wave of the pandemic, which particularly affects crews.
According Flightaware, United Airlines had to cancel more than 200 flights on Friday and Saturday, 10% of those who were programmed.
“The peak in Omicron cases across the country this week has had a direct impact on our crews and the people who run our operations, “the company said in a statement released Friday.
Delta Airlines too canceled 260 flights, according Flightaware, both due to Ómicron and, to a lesser degree, due to adverse weather conditions. “Delta teams have exhausted all options and resources” before deciding on these cancellations, argued the airline.
They were also canceled more than ten flights Alaska Airlines, some of whose employees said they were “potentially exposed to the virus” and had to isolate themselves.
These overrides disrupt plans for travel again in the end-of-the-year holidays, after Christmas 2020 was hit squarely by the pandemic.
Chinese airlines also took the hit. China Eastern Company canceled 480 flights, about 20% of the planned itineraries; and Air China grounded 15% of the total number of planes that had to fly, according to a count made at 7:20 GMT (4 am in Argentina) this Saturday.
According to estimates by the American Automobile Association (AAA), it was expected that more than 109 million Americans will leave their area of residence by plane, train or car between December 23 and January 2, an increase of 34% over last year.
Most of the flights had been scheduled before the Omicron outbreak, which is spreading at high speed and is more contagious than previous variants.
With information from AFP.
LGP
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