During the winter holidays, many people typically travel for family gatherings or work trips. However, this year, similar to 2020, new COVID-19 cases are causing disruptions in travel plans as flights get canceled.
FlightAware, a flight tracking website, reported that in the U.S., nearly 2,200 flights were canceled due to airline staff falling ill or local regulations grounding planes. Additionally, approximately 3,000 flights were delayed for similar reasons. Globally, around 6,000 flights were canceled on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, with over 5,000 facing delays on Sunday.
Despite the challenges, millions of individuals went through TSA checkpoints, hoping to be with loved ones and experience a change of scenery after a year marked by restrictions. The Wednesday before Christmas, over 2 million people were screened at TSA checkpoints, a significant increase from pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
United Airlines addressed the situation in an internal memo, stating, “The nationwide surge in Omicron cases has directly impacted our flight crews and operational staff.”
Around 3,000 of the affected flights were related to the U.S., where the highly contagious Omicron variant is leading to a surge in infections, as per data from flight-tracking site https://t.co/5aj7j1ctR0 https://t.co/M8DhjOGvGQ
— Sky News (@SkyNews) December 27, 2021
As a result of ongoing cancellations, some travelers find themselves stranded at their destinations, facing uncertainties in arranging return flights.
Delta Airlines expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to customers, saying, “Delta employees are diligently working to ensure passengers reach their destinations promptly and safely on the next available flight.”
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