Flight Cancellations Continue in the US in the New Year... "No Workers Available" Causes Some Stores to Close (Comprehensive)

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seol Gina] The aviation chaos caused by mass flight cancellations continues in the United States into the new year. The spread of Omicron, a new variant of COVID-19, has worsened labor shortages in airlines, compounded by severe weather such as winter storms and heavy snowfall. Labor shortages have also intensified in supermarkets and bars, leading even retailers to close their stores.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 2nd (local time) that the Omicron variant is impacting businesses from airports to bars and supermarkets.

The outlet stated, "The rapid spread of Omicron is weighing heavily on U.S. companies," adding, "Thousands of flights have been canceled over several days, and some stores have closed. With consumer demand surging, Omicron has struck businesses hard, causing many companies to struggle with workforce redeployment and supply chain issues."

According to flight tracking site FlightAware, on Sunday, more than 2,300 flights, including domestic and U.S.-origin flights, were canceled in the United States. Globally, over 3,900 flights were canceled. On New Year's Day, the previous day, about 2,700 U.S. flights and 4,700 worldwide flights were canceled. This is the largest scale since the aviation chaos began in the U.S. on December 24.

Politico reported, "There is a shortage of airline staff due to the spread of COVID-19," and added, "The winter storm that hit the U.S. Midwest over the weekend also had an impact." At Chicago O'Hare International Airport, a major hub for U.S. air traffic, about one-quarter of all flights were canceled that day.

Sundays are typically high-demand days for air travel. Local media noted that many travelers were returning home by air after the New Year holiday this past weekend. American Airlines stated, "Most of the flights canceled on Sunday were canceled earlier than scheduled to prevent chaos at the airports."

Industry insiders expect this aviation chaos to continue until mid-January. JetBlue, headquartered in New York, confirmed to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that it has adjusted its flight schedules through mid-January. CNN also reported, "Flight cancellations are expected to continue into next week." Since the aviation chaos began on December 24, about 14,000 flights have been canceled in the past ten days.

Labor shortages due to COVID-19 are worsening not only in the aviation industry but also in retail sectors such as stores. Neil Stern, CEO of Good Food Holdings, which operates more than 50 stores on the West Coast, said, "I believe the impact is inevitable across all regions." Tops Market LLC is relying on overtime and is requesting additional staff to work at its 162 stores. WSJ predicted, "With the spread of Omicron, absences among cashiers and employees are increasing," and "Labor shortages in grocery and general merchandise sectors are expected to worsen."

Meanwhile, the daily average of new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. is approaching 400,000. According to Johns Hopkins University, the seven-day average daily cases as of January 1 stood at 394,000, marking a record high for five consecutive days. This figure has doubled compared to just a week ago. The recent surge is interpreted as the impact of the highly contagious new variant Omicron.

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