Airlines cancel flights, COVID cases cause staff shortages

Airlines say omicron spike is causing cancellations

The omicron variant is causing flight cancellations on this holiday weekend.

MILWAUKEE - Hundreds of United Airlines and Delta Airlines flights have been forced to cancel this holiday weekend. The cancellations are due to a rise in positive cases among flight crew members.

As of early Friday morning, Dec. 24, those cancellations were only affected two flights out of Milwaukee. But nationwide, thousands of passengers may not be able to make it home in time for Christmas.

United Airlines canceled 169 flights on Christmas Eve because of the omicron variant.

Some flights have even been upgraded to different planes because of a shortage in available pilots.

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According to Flight Aware, United as already canceled 28 flights set to take off on Christmas Day.

Delta Airlines is also feeling the impact of the variant. It was forced to cancel 116 flights on Christmas Eve because of a mix of inclement weather and the increase in positive cases resulting in staff shortages.

AAA estimates 109 million people will travel for the holiday weekend.

On Thursday, Dec. 23, the TSA screened more than two million people – more than was recorded the last two years.

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