MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th December, 2021) American and Australian carriers have canceled more than 200 flights ahead of the Christmas Eve as many airlines remained grounded by understaffing� caused by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, media reported on Friday.
Late on Thursday, American United Airlines canceled 112 flights scheduled for Christmas Eve and Delta Airlines canceled about 90 flights citing a rapid spread of Omicron and inclement weather conditions.
"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 and are notifying impacted customers in advance of them coming to the airport," the carrier said as quoted by ABC news.
Many American airlines called on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to shorten the quarantine period for fully vaccinated people to overcome the issue as the Omicron spread significantly affects companies' activities.
Australian airlines are experiencing the same problems, prompting the Sydney airport to cancel 80 flights due to COVID-19 isolation and understaffing. A Jetstar Airways spokesperson said that the company has faced a staffing crunch as many company's employees had to undergo COVID-19 tests and isolate.
"Unfortunately like many people in Sydney and Melbourne, a large number of our frontline team are being required to test and isolate as close contacts given the increasing number of cases in the general community, and as a result we have had to make some late adjustments to our schedule," the spokesperson said as quoted by the Australian media The Sydney Morning Herald.
Since Tuesday, Virgin Australia also has been canceling and rescheduling flights in Australia. Many Australia's nationals were expressing anguish as Australian states stick to their own COVID-19 rules, including the requirement that a person traveling by air should present a valid PCR test 72 hours before departure. Travelers have expressed fear they would not be allowed on planes as their tests might expire while waiting for flights in airports.
