Flight Disruptions Due to Weather and COVID-19 Surge
A formidable combination of bad weather in the west and a surging COVID-19 variant has led to the cancellation or delay of thousands of flights in the United States since the holiday season began.
Here’s what you need to know.
How Many Flights Have Been Canceled?
According to FlightAware, a live flight delay and cancelation tracking digital aviation company, there were 12,100 delays today and a total of 2,839 cancellations within, into, or out of the United States.
USA Today reports that since Christmas Eve, there have been “more than 8,000 cancellations and more than 41,000 delays within, to, or from the US.”
The hardest-hit airlines are JetBlue, Delta, Alaska, and Southwest.
Why Are Flights Canceled?
Two major factors disrupting airline travel are bad weather and the highly-contagious Omicron variant. Western states like Nevada, northern California, Utah, and Washington have experienced record-low temperatures and heavy snowfall.
The Central Sierra Snow Laboratory reported a new December snow record of 212 inches. This surpasses the previous record of 170 inches of snow which fell in December 1970.
Temperatures dipped to 17 degrees Fahrenheit in Seattle, while The Weather Channel noted up to nine feet of snow around Lake Tahoe.
Additionally, the COVID-19 variant – Omicron, has rapidly spread across the US. According to the John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, 489,267 new COVID-19 cases have been reported since Wednesday.
Moreover, the flu is resurging.
“It’s tough enough to travel in the winter just because of bad weather, but COVID and the omicron variant are introducing new challenges that none of us had anticipated,” travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt stated. “Airlines have only so many standby crew members available.”
Updated Quarantine Guidelines: Impact and Controversy
A controversial decision by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reduced quarantine time for those infected or exposed to COVID-19 from 10 days to five. This change is expected to alleviate some airline staffing issues, and Delta Airlines has reportedly begun implementing the new CDC guidelines, with other airlines anticipated to follow suit.
However, the CDC’s decision has sparked significant resistance and confusion. Opponents express concerns that businesses may pressure unwell employees to resume work before they have fully recovered.
What Can Stranded Passengers Do?
Passengers should stay in contact with airline ticketing agents or customer service representatives for updates. However, alternatives may be limited due to high demand.
Long-distance bus operator Megabus isoffering free travel for those affected by flight cancellations between Dec. 27 – Jan. 7, 2022.
Amtrak has reported to The Washington Post that their passenger rails are “holding up well,” with no trains canceled due to the pandemic.
Additionally, car rental services have experienced an increase in demand, leading to higher prices and potentially making it more challenging to secure a rental than to book another flight.
