United Airlines Cuts Flight Schedule Amid Covid-19 Surge
United Airlines said on Tuesday that it is reducing its flight schedule in hopes of stemming Covid-related staffing shortages. The new Omicron surge has caused thousands of flight cancellations across the industry. U.S. airlines have cancelled more than 30,000 flights since late December over weather and COVID-19 staffing issues.
In a company-wide memo, CEO Scott Kirby said the airline is “reducing near-term schedules” to make sure it has the staffing and resources to take care of customers. He did not specify how many flights will be cut from the schedule. United canceled 149 flights on Tuesday, or 7% of its flights, based on FlightAware.com data.
United Airlines also revealed that about 4% of its U.S. employees, or about 3,000 workers, have tested positive for COVID-19, Reuters reports. But, vaccinated employees had neither died nor recently been hospitalized with the disease. Kirby thanked employees for their professionalism in handling delays and cancellations during recent weeks.
United Airlines’s CEO said last month about 200 employees did not comply with United’s mandate and were fired out of its 67,000 employees.
United is the latest airline to take such measures as it deals with staffing shortages. JetBlue cut 1,280 flights from its early January schedule and Alaska Airlines also reduced its month’s schedule by 10%.
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