- Tens of thousands of airline passengers have been hit by the grounding of thousands of flights as a surge in Covid cases causes staff shortages.
- Recorded Covid cases are rising sharply around the world, largely driven by the Omicron variant.
- More than 13 million people in Xi’an have been recently ordered to stay at home as authorities attempt to tackle a Covid outbreak there.
Thousands of flights have been cancelled, affecting tens of thousands of passengers, as a surge in Covid cases has caused staff shortages as reported by BBC.
Flights cancelled
According to the FlightAware data tracking website, over 7,500 flights have been cancelled since Friday and over the Christmas weekend.
Airlines from China and the United States appear to be the hardest hit, with more delays and cancellations expected on Monday.
The cancellations, according to the companies, are due to flight crews testing positive for HIV.
Staff who have not tested positive but have come into touch with infected people are being ordered to segregate themselves.
Omicron discoveries
Covid instances are on the rise all across the world, thanks in large part to the Omicron form.
Despite initial discoveries indicating Omicron is milder than other coronavirus variations, experts remain concerned about the large number of illnesses reported.
According to FlightAware, over 2,400 flights were cancelled on Sunday, with over 800 of them flying to or from US airports.
Delta, United, and JetBlue are among the worst-affected US airlines.
United had previously stated that an increase in Omicron cases had “had a direct impact on our flight attendants and the individuals who run our operation,” and that it was in the process of notifying impacted customers prior to their arrival at the airport.
Confirmed cases
In the United States, Omicron is presently the most common strain.
China Eastern, however, appears to be the airline most affected, with over 390 flights cancelled on Sunday.
More than 120 flights have been cancelled at Xi’an International Airport in northern China.
In Xi’an, more than 13 million people have been instructed to stay at home as officials strive to contain a Covid outbreak.
On Sunday, more than 60 flights were cancelled at Heathrow Airport in London.
According to Johns Hopkins University in the United States, coronavirus has killed about 5.4 million people globally. More than 279 million cases have been confirmed.
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Source: BBC
