More Than 7,000 Flights Canceled On Sunday Around The World Due To Omicron Variant
The Airlines canceled More than 7,000 flights worldwide on Sunday over the Christmas long weekend due to the rapid progression of the omicron variant of covid-19, affecting crews in particular airplanes.
Now Europe is the region with the most cases, with the largest number in the last seven days, 57% of the world total, and the highest number of deaths, followed by the United States and Canada having new infections.
France crossed the threshold of new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours on Christmas Saturday, an unprecedented number. The government will assess the situation.
More than 570 were travel related to only the United States, whether international or domestic. According to the latest reports from the FlightAware website, there were recently nearly 2,000 flight cancellations.
On Saturday, the same site identified the cancellation of nearly 2,800 flights, out of which970 related to the United States.
According to FlightAware, cancellations on Friday were around 2,400, and delays approached 11,000.
Many companies sent their pilots, flight attendants, and other staff members who were exposed to COVID to quarantine. Because of this reason, Lufthansa, Delta, and United Airlines had to cancel flights.
‘FlightAware’ reported that United Airlines canceled nearly 439 flights on Friday and Saturday. That figures about 10% of those scheduled flights.
According to FlightAware, Delta Air Lines also canceled over 300 flights on Saturday and 170 the day before. They stated that due to omicron variant people canceled the flights and, occasionally, unfavorable weather conditions for flights cancellations.
Before coming to these cancellations, Delta teams have exhausted all options and resources, argued the airline.
Already more than ten flights were also canceled by Alaska Airlines. Their employees said they had been potentially exposed to the virus and announced their decision to self-quarantine.
Snowfall And Heavy Rain
Weather conditions contributed to flight suppression.
In the western United States, snowstorms and high drops in temperatures were forecasts, further complicating an already chaotic situation.
However, cities like Seattle and Portland could enjoy a snowy Christmas.
The Pacific’s abnormally cold and wet conditions will result in prolonged periods of snowfall and rain, noted the US National Weather Service (NWS).
Chinese airlines were responsible for most cancellations. China Eastern reduced about 540 flights, more than a quarter of the total scheduled. At the same time, Air China canceled 267 departures. It tallies with almost a quarter of its planned departures.
These cancellations include a blow to the long-awaited resumption of travel at the end of the year holidays, after a 2020 Christmas hardly marked by the pandemic.
According to the Automobile Association estimates, In the United States, more than 109 million people were want to leave their immediate area by plane, train, or car in the middle of December 23 and January 2, an addition of 34% during the last year.
Though canceled many flights, it had not happily affected the tour program of Santa, whom the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)controlled for decades.
According to the command, the sleigh route thanks to a sensor placed ‘on the nose’ of a reindeer. After that, NORAD counted gifts distributed this year.
According to reports prepared by AFP from official sources, the pandemic had killed at least people worldwide. The WHO office in China reported the outset of the disease at the end of December 2019.
Xi’an, where 13 million were in lockdown, is confined. It announced this Sunday total disinfection and tightened the restrictions when the country registers its highest peak of infections in 21 months.
