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Christmas flights canceled: United, Delta say omicron spike is causing some
holiday flight cancellations
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CHRISTMAS FLIGHTS CANCELED: UNITED, DELTA SAY OMICRON SPIKE IS CAUSING SOME
HOLIDAY FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS

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Bailey Schulz   | USA TODAY

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Severe thunderstorms in Florida threaten Christmas travel plans
Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes could prompt travel delays ahead of Christmas
in Florida.
Accuweather, Accuweather


Omicron is turning out to be a Grinch this holiday season, with the
fast-spreading coronavirus variant causing some flights to be canceled this
Christmas. 



As of 6 a.m. EST Friday, Delta Air Lines has canceled 52 flights on Christmas
Day while United Airlines has canceled 47. More flights have been canceled on
Christmas Eve: 168 from United and 115 from Delta, according to flight tracker
FlightAware.

Both United and Delta said a spike in omicron infections among crew members
played a part in the cancellations.

"The nationwide spike in Omicron cases this week has had a direct impact on our
flight crews and the people who run our operation. As a result, we’ve
unfortunately had to cancel some flights. … We're sorry for the disruption,”
according to a statement from United spokesperson Josh Freed.



Freed added that United is notifying impacted customers and rebooking “as many
people as possible." 

A Delta statement shared with USA TODAY said the flight cancellations were
caused by a "combination of issues, including but not limited to, potential
inclement weather in some areas and the impact of the Omicron variant."

The airline went on to say that it "exhausted all options and resources" before
canceling flights for Friday. 

"We apologize to our customers for the delay in their holiday travel plans.
Delta people are working hard to get them to where they need to be as quickly
and as safely as possible on the next available flight,” the statement reads.



NERVOUS ABOUT TRAVEL (AGAIN?) What to know about airline, hotel and cruise
cancellation policies as omicron surges



'CURRENT HOLD TIME': Christmas flight cancellations send travelers scrambling

TRAVELING FOR THE HOLIDAYS? Here are the worst times to hit the road.

The cancellations come as some airline industry leaders urge the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention to update its guidance on how long fully
vaccinated people with a breakthrough infection should self-isolate.

Current CDC guidance says 10 days, but JetBlue, Delta and airline industry trade
group Airlines for America have each sent letters asking for a reduced isolation
period. Delta and Airlines for America are pushing for five days with a negative
test. 



“The Omicron surge may exacerbate personnel shortages and create significant
disruptions to our workforce and operations,” Airlines for America CEO Nick
Calio wrote in a Thursday letter to the CDC. "Much has changed since the initial
guidance was developed and issued in 2020 and we believe that variables such as
vaccine rates, improved treatments and mask mandates should be considered as the
pandemic and science continue to evolve."



Not all agree. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, which
represents roughly 50,000 flight attendants at 17 airlines, wrote to the CDC to
voice support for the 10-day isolation period.

"We recognize that how long a person should isolate is not a
'one-size-fits-all' number of days. We also note that fully vaccinated people
may be less infectious for less time than unvaccinated people. Still, we
consider your current 10-day recommendation to represent a prudent middle
ground," reads a Thursday letter signed by Association of Flight Attendants-CWA
International President Sara Nelson. "We do not see the justification for
reducing the number of days at this time."

Follow USA TODAY reporter Bailey Schulz on Twitter: @bailey_schulz. 

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