Dec 30, 2021 - Health

FAA warns travelers of additional canceled flights amid Omicron surge

Kierra Frazier

A United Airlines plane takes off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport November 23, 2021 — Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday told travelers that more flights may be delayed due to the nationwide spike in Omicron cases that has led to staffing shortages, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Driving the news: Multiple airlines, including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Jet Blue Airways, have had to cut more than 4,000 flights due to staffing challenges in the last week because of the surge in COVID-19 cases.

JetBlue Airways canceled over 1,280 flights beginning Thursday until mid-January in an attempt to ahead of the surge.

The big picture: An FAA spokesperson told the WSJ that "to maintain safety, traffic volume at some facilities could be reduced, which might result in delays during busy periods."

Weather and seasonal traffic delays may also come into effect in the next week, the FAA told the Washington Post.
Over 1,300 flights within the country had been canceled for Thursday, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware.

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FAA warns travelers of additional canceled flights amid Omicron surge

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