United Airlines and Delta Air Lines were forced to cancel more than 200 flights on Christmas Eve due to the spread of the Omicron mutant virus strain.
United Airlines cancelled 112 flights on the 24th, and Delta Air Lines cancelled about 90 flights.
On December 23, United Airlines stated in an email that the surge in confirmed cases of the new coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) affected the number of air and ground crews available the day before Christmas.
The Christmas holiday is one of the most frequent periods of American air travel.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) predicts that December 22 and 23 will be the busiest days for travel before Christmas, and January 2 and 3 will be the most crowded days for travel after the holiday.
United Airlines stated, “Unfortunately, we have to cancel some flights and notify the affected passengers before they arrive at the airport. We are sorry for the impact, and we are working hard to re-book tickets for as many people as possible. They can travel normally during the holidays."
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