US airlines canceled more than 1,300 flights on Sunday as COVID-19 reduced the number of available crews, while several cruise ships had to cancel stopovers after onboard outbreaks, changing the plans of thousands of Christmas travelers.
Commercial airlines canceled 1,318 flights in, in or out of the United States by mid-afternoon, according to a tally on flight-tracking website FlightAware.com.
At least three cruise ships were also forced to return to port without scheduled stops after COVID-19 cases were detected on board, according to various media reports.
It was the third straight day of pain for some Americans traveling over the weekend, as the Christmas holidays, generally a peak time for travel, coincided with a rapid spread of the Omicron variant across the country.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious diseases official, warned of an increase in cases in the US in the coming days and potentially “invading … hospitals, particularly in those regions where there is a higher proportion of unvaccinated people ». “It’s likely to go much higher,” he said of the surge driven by Omicron, even as President Joe Biden last week unveiled new actions aimed at stemming the latest wave and continued to urge vaccines and other prevention strategies.
With infections on the rise, airlines have been forced to cancel flights with pilots and cabin crew needing to quarantine themselves, while bad weather in some areas adds to the problems for travelers.
Enjoli Rodriguez, 25, whose Delta Air Lines Inc flight from Los Angeles to Lexington, Kentucky, was canceled on Christmas Eve, was one of thousands still stranded Sunday.
Delta rebooked Rodriguez via Detroit, but that flight was delayed, so he lost connection. Speaking from the Detroit airport on Sunday, Rodriguez said she was surrounded by angry passengers, nervous airline representatives and families with young children in limbo.
“I have come across a lot of people sharing their horror stories here. We’re all stuck in Michigan, Detroit, heading to different places, ”Rodriguez, who had his reservation changed on a later flight to Kentucky, told Reuters. A total of 997 flights were canceled on Christmas Day and almost 700 on Christmas Eve. Thousands more were delayed during the three days.
A Delta Airlines spokesperson said that “winter weather in parts of the US and the Omicron variant continued to affect” its holiday weekend flight schedule, but that it was working to “reroute and replace aircraft and crews ». United Airlines also said it was working to rebook affected passengers, while a Southwest Airlines spokesperson said its cancellations were weather-related.
Overall, the hardest hit US airports were Seattle, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, and JFK International in New York. A White House official, who asked not to be named, said the administration was closely monitoring the delays, but noted that while they may disrupt plans, “only a small percentage of flights are affected.
“Delta canceled 167 flights or 6% on Sunday; United canceled 115 flights or 5% and American canceled 83 flights or 2%, according to FlightAware. Globally, 3,023 flights were canceled and more than 13,742 delayed, as of 8:15 p.m. EST Sunday (0015 GMT Monday), FlightAware data showed.
COVID HITS CRUCEROS
Meanwhile, a Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd cruise ship returned to Ft. Lauderdale, CNN reported, and on Sunday a Carnival Corp ship returned to Miami after COVID was detected on board, although it was unclear if the cases were Omicron.
Carnival said that “a small number on board were isolated due to a positive COVID test” aboard its Carnival Freedom ship, which again departed Miami later Sunday for its next voyage with another round of passengers.
“The rapid spread of the Omicron variant may determine how some target authorities with limited medical resources can see even a small number of cases, even when handled with our vigorous protocols. If it is necessary to cancel a port, we will do everything possible to find an alternative destination, “he said in a statement.
A Holland America ship also returned to San Diego on Sunday after Mexican authorities barred it from docking in Puerto Vallarta, citing cases on board, NBC News and Fox News reported. Carnival, which owns Holland America, did not address the reported incident in its statement.
Representatives for Royal Caribbean did not respond to a request for comment. Overall, the COVID-19 outbreaks disrupted at least six trips in the past week, the Washington Post reported, echoing the turmoil facing the industry after COVID broke out in early 2020. Testing problems have compounded travel distress, as many Americans struggled for their status amid long lines and a lack of home test kits amid vacation travel.
“Obviously we have to do better. I mean, I think things will get a lot better as we get into January, but that doesn’t help us today or tomorrow, ”Fauci told ABC’s“ This Week. Meanwhile, some states are already preparing for the upcoming New Years holiday weekend, warning residents to reduce potential exposure to the virus.
“Omicron is on the rise across the state,” the Louisiana Department of Health tweeted Sunday, noting that Omicron-related hospitalizations had doubled in the past week. “We urge everyone to take safety precautions before New Year’s Eve.”
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