Statewide Iowa — Even with the holidays well behind us, the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is continuing to impact air travel, causing delays and cancellations at airports in Iowa and around the country.
Kyle Potter, executive editor of ThriftyTraveler.com, says recent bouts with wintery weather are only making a bad situation worse for air travelers.
Reports say around 5,000 flights were cancelled nationwide just last weekend, with Southwest Airlines alone suspending more than a thousand flights. Des Moines International Airport reports it cancelled around 30 flights during the week between Christmas and New Year’s, with more in the days that followed.
For Iowans who plan to fly sometime soon, he recommends being proactive and closely monitoring the status of your flight.
Reports say Southwest was offering double pay for staff who agreed to take extra shifts last week. Just like other industries, airlines are dealing with escalating numbers of illnesses among pilots and staff, many due to COVID.
