Source: Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images
Air travel is kind of a mess currently.
Since Dec. 24, ~15k flights have been canceled across the US, per USA Today. On Sunday, 2.5k+ US flights had already been dumped by afternoon, per FlightAware.
There are 2 big causes:
- Bad weather
- Staffing shortages due to COVID-19
Thanks to the omicron variant, the US broke its record for average new cases last week at 355k+ infections per day, per CNN.
The cancellations are affecting airline stocks
While the S&P 500 Airlines Index improved in early 2021, the sector took a hit with the delta and omicron variants. Since Oct. 1, it’s dropped ~18%, per Fortune.
After Christmas weekend — during which 2.8k+ US flights were canceled — United Airlines and Delta Air Lines both fell 0.7%, while American Airlines dipped 0.9%.
There’s also been some controversy
The CDC recently changed the isolation window for those with COVID-19 from 10 days to 5 — which is what Delta Air Lines suggested in a letter to CDC director Rochelle Walensky.
Walensky told NPR the decision was, in part, to keep society’s “critical functions” — like airlines — in operation.
She also noted that while the virus is typically passed on in the 1st days of infection, masking is essential on days 5 through 10.
Who’s mad about this? Nurses, plus flight attendants, who say they’re already dealing with an uptick in violent passenger outbursts over mask guidelines.
BTW: Having travel FOMO? You could always check out FlightAware’s Misery Map, which visualizes cancellations and delays.
