The new date is Dec 24, 2021.
The omicron coronavirus variant has caused staffing shortages at many airlines, which has led to the cancellation of more than 500 flights.
People are at the Los Angeles International Airport.
The Associated Press.
At 1 p.m. Out of 2,223 canceled flights worldwide, 547 were in the U.S.
United Airlines has canceled the most flights of any carrier.
Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey is the most affected US airport, with 41 outbound flights and 33 inbound flights canceled on Friday.
The number of canceled flights has gone up since Thursday night, when United and Delta both canceled flights.
The omicron variant is cited as the primary reason for the cancellation of flights, with airlines saying that the high rate of people calling in sick was the main reason.
Delta said in a statement that it had made the decision to cancel flights only after exhausting all options and resources.
The spike in omicron cases this week has had a direct impact on our flight crews and the people who run our operation. We had to cancel some flights and notify customers in advance of them coming to the airport.
What to watch for.
283 U.S. flights have already been canceled. Joshua Freed told the New York Times that United was managing by the day. There may be more flight cancelations on Saturday. It is possible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was asked by the Airlines for America to shorten its guidance for how long people with Covid-19 should be kept out of work. The CDC reduced its recommended period for healthcare workers.
There is a structure called the Tangent.
According to Dr. David Powell, the highly infectious omicron variant may make air passengers more likely to contract Covid-19 on an airplane than with previous strains. Planes are a very high-flow airflow environment, and their conducive systems mean flights are likely still less spread than other indoor environments.
The key background.
Air travel this holiday season is expected to rebound from a slump in 2020 to nearly pre-pandemic levels, despite spiking Covid-19 cases due to omicron. Between December 23 and January 2, the year's busiest travel period, the number of people who will travel by air will increase by 184%. The number of people that traveled through the security checkpoint at the airport on Wednesday exceeded pre-pandemic levels. The omicron variant has caused staffing shortages in other industries, including airlines, which has led to the cancellation of Broadway shows and sports games.
United canceled over 100 Christmas Eve flights because of staff shortages.
Air travel was unaffected by the pre-Pandemic levels.
United CEO says people aren't canceling flights as the holidays approach.
The Airline Trade Body says that airplane passengers are twice as likely to catch Covid-19.
Coverage and live updates on the coronaviruses.
