Christmas Air Chaos Due to Omicron Impact... 7,000 Flights Canceled Worldwide

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] The spread of the COVID-19 Omicron variant has led to a surge in flight cancellations among airlines worldwide, intensifying the aviation crisis. Nearly 7,000 flights have been canceled so far during the Christmas holiday period.

According to the U.S. flight tracking site FlightAware on the 24th (local time), nearly 7,000 flights worldwide were canceled over four days from the 23rd through the day after Christmas. Although demand for air travel surged during the Christmas holiday season, the spread of Omicron caused airline staff to become infected or be classified as close contacts, preventing them from working and worsening the manpower shortage.

Some flight routes were further affected by severe weather, exacerbating cancellations. As of 6:20 PM Pacific Time, 2,407 flights were canceled on the 24th, and 1,873 flights were scheduled for cancellation on Christmas Day, the 25th. Previously, 2,233 flights were canceled on the 23rd, and 477 cancellations were forecast for the 26th. Among these, cancellations of U.S. domestic and international flights accounted for 25% of the total. Flight delays also surged, with over 10,000 passenger flights worldwide delayed on the 24th alone.

According to the Associated Press, U.S. airlines Delta Air Lines and United Airlines announced significant flight cancellations due to staff shortages related to Omicron. United Airlines stated, "The nationwide surge in Omicron cases this week has directly impacted flight crews operating the aircraft," while Delta Air Lines said, "We have exhausted all options and resources, including rerouting flights and deploying replacement aircraft." German airline Lufthansa also reported an increase in pilot sick leave and announced the cancellation of dozens of transatlantic flights, including those to the United States.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.