Major flight cancellations continue as the Omicron eruption causes a shortage of crew

Airlines across the United States still have major flight cancellations such as covid-19 Omicron variant The eruption continues to cause a shortage of staff throughout the industry.

As of Thursday afternoon, more than 1,190 flights to, from and within the United States had been canceled, according to the tracking service FlightAware. Over 4,300 more had been delayed.

JetBlue will reduce its schedule until January 13 by around 1280 flights due to crew members being ill, a spokesman for the airline told Reuters.

On Wednesday, a total of 1[ads1],082 flights to, from and within the United States were canceled, FlightWare said. United canceled 180 flights, Delta canceled 137 flights, and JetBlue and Spirit canceled 106 and 76 flights, respectively.

A further 6,023 flights were delayed, with the largest disruptions at airports with international hubs, such as Dallas-Fort Worth, Seattle-Tacoma and Denver International Airport.

JetBlue and Spirit did not immediately respond to CBS News’ request for comment.

Earlier Wednesday, a spokesman for Delta said that the winter weather and the Omicron variant continued to “hamper operations”.

A United Airlines spokesman told CBS News that 150 of Wednesday’s cancellations were due to COVID-19 staffing problems, and that they were working to rebook as many customers as possible.

“The nationwide increase in Omicron cases this week has had a direct impact on our flight crews and the people operating our operation,” a United Airlines spokesman said. “As a result, we have unfortunately had to cancel some flights and notify affected customers before they arrive at the airport.”

The continued cancellations are apart from an ongoing battle between low-staffed airlines and consumers who are dependent on holiday flights. The Transportation Safety Administration has said that travel has continued to return to pre-pandemic numbers, with 1,995,747 people shielded at the security checkpoint alone on Tuesday. Six million people are expected to fly, according to the TSA.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 Omicron variant has continued to cause an increase in positive case reports around the country. The Centers for Disease Control said that as of December 25, Omicron cases accounted for 58.6% of all infections in the United States, with a 95% prediction interval of 41.5–74%.

On Monday, CDC abbreviated the previously recommended 10-day isolation period to 5 days for asymptomatic patients in an attempt to help workforces, such as airlines, which is frustrated by a shortage of workers.

The Omicron variant is spreading rapidly and has the potential to affect all facets of our society. The CDC’s updated recommendations for isolation and quarantine balance what we know about the spread of the virus and the protection provided by vaccinations and booster doses. These updates ensure people can safely continue daily life. ”

For travelers who have not canceled flights and still plan to use flights, the CDC continues to recommend traveling only if they have been vaccinated, and then mask use, social distancing and testing frequently.