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Nearly 5,000 flights were canceled this weekend around the world, more than half of them in the United States. Blame it on the multiplication of cases of Covid-19 and bad weather conditions. The winter storm Frida is in fact added to the disturbances linked to the Omicron variant.
Over 2,600 canceled flights and nearly 8,600 delayed flights to or from the United States. The winter storm, with its strong winds and snowfall, disrupts air transport. Chicago airports are the most affected, but the situation is critical in Colorado, New Jersey, or even Michigan.
But it’s not just the storm, the highly contagious Omicron variant is also disrupting global air transport. Reservations are in free fall and the flight personnel are on sick leave or in case of contact.
►Also read: Covid-19: the Omicron variant buries the hope of a return to normal in air traffic
Towards a gloomy year
Globally, more than 10,000 flights have already been canceled over the past week. In Europe, many companies, such as Lufthansa, plan to cancel 10% of their flights this winter. As a result, incomes might drop sharply this year.
Ryanair, the largest European airline by number of passengers, has announced that its annual loss will probably be double what it expected. According to the latest forecasts, the aviation sector should not return to its pre-crisis level until 2026.
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