By United Airlines is trimming its schedule to address a surge in sick calls among employees, CEO Scott Kirby told employees.
U.S. airlines cancelled thousands of flights over the year-end holidays through early this year due to Covid infections among crews and a series of winter storms. United first cut some flights before Christmas.
JetBlue Airways was the first carrier to cut back its January schedule because of a surge in infection rates among crews, which was later followed by Alaska Airlines. American Airlines said it would do the same this week as Covid rates climbed among regional carriers.
The adjustments are the latest move by an airline to cope with the rapid spread of the omicron variant.
Kirby said United is “reducing our near-term schedules to make sure we have the staffing and resources to take care of customers.” A spokeswoman declined to say how many flights the carrier is cancelling.
United has about 3,000 workers positive for Covid, Kirby said in a staff memo. That is about 4% of its U.S. workforce.
“Just as an example, in one day alone at Newark, nearly one-third of our workforce called out sick,” Kirby said.
United on Dec. 31 offered triple pay for pilots to pick up trips through most of January. The pilots’ union said sick calls among aviators was at a record. Southwest Airlines also gave pilots incentive pay for this month.
