American Airlines denies cancellations related to new vaccine policy

Fort Worth-based American Airlines canceled more than 1,600 flights over the weekend, citing weather and staff issues.

Why it matters: The mass cancellations come after some employees have protested the company’s COVID vaccine mandate.

Between the lines: Some prominent conservatives claim the scheduling problems are part of a "sick out" in response to the vaccine policy.

• Southwest Airlines experienced similar cancellations and similar speculation last month.

What they’re saying: A spokesperson for American denied that the scheduling issues are related in any way to the company’s vaccine policy.

• “To make sure we are taking care of our customers and providing scheduling certainty for our crews, we have adjusted our operation for the last few days this month by proactively canceling some flights,” the airline said in a statement.

Of note: The airline says it expects 1,800 flight attendants to return from leave this month and 600 new flight attendant hires by the end of December.

What we’re watching: A protest at American’s Fort Worth headquarters is scheduled for Nov. 11.