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United Airlines cancels 120 flights just before Christmas, leaves travelers perplexed

United Airlines said that it had to 'cancel some flights' as the new coronavirus variant, Omicron, has been having negative impacts on the flight crew and staff

More than thousands of travelers were affected after United Airlines canceled over 120 flights that were scheduled for Christmas Eve at the last moment. On Thursday, December 23, the airline said that it had to 'cancel some flights' as the new coronavirus variant, Omicron, has been having negative impacts on the flight crew and staff. Since the sudden spike of Omnicron cases over the weekend, the flight staff and workers have been experiencing problems and discomfort at work and informed the airline authorities that they would be happy to be relieved of some workload.

The statement read, "The nationwide spike in Omicron cases this week has had a direct impact on our flight crews and the people who run our operation. As a result, we’ve unfortunately had to cancel some flights and are notifying impacted customers in advance of them coming to the airport. We’re sorry for the disruption and are working hard to rebook as many people as possible and get them on their way for the holidays.” 

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Customers, however, are not at all happy with this decision and have taken to social media to express their disappointment. United Airlines is being bashed over 'lack of compassion' after announcing the cancellation of flights right before Christmas Eve. One user said, "@UnitedAirlines Could you BE any worse?" Another angry would-be traveler wrote, "Haven't flown @united
in 15 years. Decided to go with them for my family trip to Cali for Christmas. They canceled my entire flight home tonight. Now they've had me on hold for 45 minutes while my family celebrates without me. Thanks @united"

According to reports, despite the growing cases of the new and possibly more dangerous COVID-19 variant Omicron, more than a hundred million people are expected to travel by air around the Christmas and New Year holidays. It is being said that the increase in the number of travelers during the festive season is caused due to a whole year of staying indoors. As a result, Omnicron cases all over the world are also on the rise and researchers are predicting that it wouldn't be long until the world is forced to go back to lockdown if precautionary methods are not quickly taken against the virus. 

Alaska and Delta Airlines are also facing a similar situation where their staff's wellbeing is put at stake especially due to the growing amount of workload during the festive season. Both airlines have also had to cancel several flights in order to safeguard their staff's safety. The rise in the number of travelers is also seen in buses, trains, and private vehicles. 

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