'Omicron' Directs Blow to Airlines in End-of-Year Season

Airlines around the world canceled more than 4,500 flights over the Christmas weekend, due to the growing wave of Coronavirus cases.

Airlines globally canceled at least 2,401 flights on Friday, which happened on Christmas Eve, and nearly 10,000 more were delayed, according to a running statistics on flight tracking website "FlightAware"

The website showed 1,779 Christmas Day flights were canceled around the world, along with another 402 flights that were scheduled for next Sunday.

"United Airlines" and "Delta Air Lines" were the first US ones to report a wave of cancellations over the weekend. They canceled nearly 280 flights on Friday only, attributing this to a staff shortage, amid rising cases with the Coronavirus in light of the outbreak of "Omicron" mutant.

Coronavirus cases in the United States have risen in recent days, due to the fast-spreading "Omicron". It now accounts for nearly three-quarters of American cases, and up to 90% in some regions.

Contributed by Israa Farhan