JetBlue Airways Airbus A320 passenger plane touchdown at John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport in New York Metropolis.
Nik Oiko | LightRocket | Getty Photos
JetBlue Airways is reducing near 1,300 flights from its schedule from Thursday by means of mid-January in anticipation of extra Covid-19 infections amongst pilots and flight attendants.
New York-based JetBlue and different carriers, together with United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, have cancelled greater than 4,000 flights since Christmas Eve, battling unhealthy climate and a surge in sick calls from crews.
“This previous week has been considered one of our most troublesome working durations throughout the pandemic,” three JetBlue division leaders wrote Tuesday in a notice to employees, which was seen by CNBC. “The exponential progress in Omicron circumstances over simply a few days is at a stage that nobody may fairly put together for.”
They mentioned the airline would cancel flights “to get even additional forward of the anticipated improve in Omicron circumstances.” The deliberate flight cuts are barely beneath 10% of JetBlue’s every day schedules.
JetBlue cancelled 104 flights, or 10% of its schedule on Wednesday.
The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention on Monday cut its recommended isolation time to 5 days from 10 for people who’ve examined constructive for Covid however are asymptomatic.
JetBlue had adopted Delta final week in urging the CDC to halve its guidance for isolation for breakthrough Covid circumstances to 5 days, warning about staffing shortages and flight disruptions as omicron was quickly spreading. Different airways followed suit.
JetBlue up to date its depart insurance policies after the CDC’s announcement to permit employees to return to work if they’re symptom-free after 5 days.
The airline division heads mentioned within the employees notice that they’re hopeful that the brand new pointers would assist carry again employees quicker however added: “we all know that Omicron circumstances have but to peak within the Northeast (and gained’t for not less than one other week or two) the place the overwhelming majority of our Crewmembers are primarily based.”
