Widespread flight cancellations continue as omicron spreads

By The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Hundreds of flights are being cancelled as the omicron variant creates havoc both for travelers and for airlines who are having to cobble together flight crews as infections rise among pilots and flight attendants. According to data from the flight-tracking website FlightAware, 832 flights were cancelled by midday Wednesday and that number has ticked higher throughout the day. There were nearly 1,300 cancellations for flights entering, leaving or inside the U.S. on Tuesday, and about 1,500 Monday. Cancellations began to spike the day before Christmas during what is typically an already buzzing pace for airlines.