Airline Travelers This Past Week

Nearly 15,000 flights have now been nixed since Christmas Eve.

🤔 What's going on?... Put simply, omicron and Mother Nature.

• Airlines are seeing a spike in Covid cases, which leaves employees unable to work. The FAA even warned more of its own employees are testing positive, which may restrict flights. (*Puts on broadcaster hat*: "Now, over to weather"...)
• It was pretty stormy in both Denver and Chicago this weekend. Around 40% of Saturday and Sunday's canceled flights were into or out of those two cities.
• Either issue has impacted almost every US carrier over the past week. The big four's cancellations on Saturday: Southwest axed 13% of its flights, Delta 10%, American and United 8%.

👁 Looking ahead… Airlines are working to boost staff and reduce cancellations to get through the holiday crush and into the heart of January, when travel demand usually drops off.

United is offering to pay pilots triple or more of their usual wages for picking up open flights through most of January, and Spirit Airlines reached a deal with the Association of Flight Attendants for double pay for cabin crews through Tuesday.

• But there may be more trouble brewing. Airlines could face another challenge this week if the FAA imposes new flight restrictions to address safety concerns over 5G wireless services slated to go live on Wednesday.