Ómicron is more contagious than Delta, notes the WHO.
Photo: Mario Tama / Getty Images
The trucking industry in America has been bracing for crowds like the ones seen before the start of the coronavirus pandemic in this holiday season, but now two major US airlines have been forced to proactively cancel some flights on Christmas Eve, due to the variant Omicron from COVID-19 fast-spreading, according to CNN.
United Airlines canceled more than 100 flights on Fridayaccording to flight tracking site FlightAware.
“The nationwide increase in omicron cases this week has had a direct impact on our flight crews and the people who run our operation,” United said in a statement. “As a result, we have unfortunately had to cancel some flights and we are notifying affected customers before they arrive at the airport.”
“We regret the disruption and are working hard to rebook as many people as possible and get them on track for the holidays,” the airline added.
Later Thursday night Delta Air Lines also canceled flights. The airline canceled 93 flights on Christmas Eve, according to FlightAware. That is 4% of your total schedule.
Delta said the cancellations are due to multiple issues, including the Omicron variant.
“We apologize to our customers for the delay in their vacation travel plans,” Delta said in a statement. “The people at Delta are working hard to get them where they need to be as quickly and safely as possible on the next available flight.”
Alaska Airlines it also canceled flights on Friday, citing the rapid spread of the Omicron variant as the reason.
Alaska Has canceled only 17 flights from Friday so far, though a spokesperson told PEOPLE that more cancellations were possible “during this dynamic situation.”
“We apologize to our guests affected by the cancellations that may have taken some of the joy out of this holiday season,” added the Alaska Airlines spokesperson. “We find it incredibly frustrating when trips don’t go as planned, especially now that so many of us are eager to connect with family and friends.”
The best way for travelers to get up-to-date flight information is by visiting the Flight Aware website.
It may interest you:
– Ómicron can cause 1 million new cases daily if basic precautions are not followed
US Buys 10 Million COVID-19 Pill Treatments From Pfizer
– Ómicron reaches all 50 states less than a month after entering the United States.