Coronavirus: The Micron mutation has canceled more than 2,000 flights to the United States

Airlines around the world have been forced to cancel more than 2,000 flights –A quarter of them in the US– mainly because of Omicron mutation of the young coronavirus disrupting the Christmas and New Year holidays.

According to the Flightaware website, until 17.40 today (Greek time) the flight cancellations reached 2,116. 499 of these routes were US and were international as well as domestic flights. A total of 2,231 flights were canceled on Thursday, according to the APE-MPE.

Many companies cited the pandemic that has decimated their crews as the cause of the cancellations.

United Airlines was forced to cancel more than 170 flights today, or 9% of those scheduled for today.

“Direct impact on crews”

“The increase in Omicron cases across the country this week has had a direct impact on the company’s crews and operators,” said United Airlines, assuring that it was trying to find solutions to serve its passengers.

Delta Air Lines canceled 145 flights, citing both Omicron and adverse weather conditions. “The crews have exhausted all their options and resources” to reach this decision, he stressed.

Alaska Airlines has canceled more than ten flights because crews may have been exposed to the new coronavirus and forced into quarantine.

The American Automobile Association estimates that more than 109 million Americans (+ 34% compared to last year) were expected to travel for the holidays this year, by plane, train or car. But most of these trips were planned before the emergence of the Omicron variant, which spread rapidly and forced many people into quarantine, even if they had no symptoms.