United Airlines has around 3,000 workers out due to COVID-19 the company&#8217;s CEO reported on Tuesday, leading to numerous flight cancellations nationwide.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby shared the information in a public <a href="https://www.united.com/en/us/newsroom/announcements/scott-kirby-employee-note" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to team members posted on the company&#8217;s website Tuesday as <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/588495-more-than-1700-flights-canceled-in-us-wednesday-almost-20000-since" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nearly 20,000 flights</a> across multiple airlines in the U.S. have been canceled since Christmas Eve.
&#8220;Our frontline teams continue to put in a tremendous effort during what I know is an incredibly challenging and stressful time &#8211; the Omicron surge has put a strain on our operation, resulting in customer disruptions during a busy holiday season. I appreciate your professionalism, creativity, and caring approach – it’s really made all the difference in helping us manage the impact on our customers,&#8221; Kirby wrote.
&#8220;In addition to impacting our operation and our customers, I also know that Omicron has affected the personal well-being of our United team. We have about 3,000 employees who are currently positive for COVID. Just as an example, in one day alone at Newark, nearly one-third of our workforce called out sick. To those who are out sick or isolating, we wish you a speedy recovery,&#8221; he added.
In a ray of good news, Kirby noted that none of the company&#8217;s vaccinated employees are currently hospitalized.
&#8220;While we have about 3,000 employees who are currently positive for COVID, zero of our vaccinated employees are currently hospitalized,&#8221; he said.
United Airlines previously announced a vaccine mandate for staff members.
&#8220;Kirby said last month about 200 employees did not comply with United&#8217;s mandate and were fired out of its 67,000 employees. He added about 6 pilots were fired and 80 put on unpaid leave out of about 13,000,&#8221; <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/united-airlines-ceo-says-about-3000-employees-test-positive-covid-19-2022-01-11/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a> reported.
The company also noted &#8220;more than 96% of its employees have submitted proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a request for an accommodation,&#8221; in the report.
The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/leaked-airline-memos-majority-of-employees-with-omicron-are-vaxxed-healthy-pilots-offered-more-pay-to-cover-shifts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> last week that the majority of airline workers who have tested positive for the Omicron variant have been fully vaccinated:
<blockquote>On Monday, The Daily Wire’s “Morning Wire” <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/mt/podcast/biden-shifts-covid-messaging-january-3-2022/id1576594336?i=1000546768952">podcast</a> revealed that in the wake of massive absences due to COVID-19, major airlines such as United and Spirit Airlines are reportedly offering employees more pay to help cover shifts for colleagues out of commission due to the illness. In a memo obtained by The Daily Wire, United specifically cited Omicron as having caused a “significant” increase in pilot illness, making the higher pay necessary to keep flights on track. Despite the airline industry being heavily vaccinated, the Omicron variant has caused an uptick in COVID-19 absences.
As the Morning Wire reported, more than 4,000 flights were canceled just this past weekend. While a massive storm in Chicago was partly to blame, it appears the main driver has been amongst pilots.
United Airlines’ CEO Scott Kirby had previously <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/united-pilots%20fired%20after%20vaccine%20mandate-2021-12">stated</a> that the company had been forced to fire “just six of its 13,000-strong pilot group” who did not get the vaccine despite a company mandate.</blockquote>
Other airlines have also faced staff shortages due to COVID-19. On Thursday, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alaska-airlines-cuts-down-on-flights-for-rest-of-january-as-airlines-continue-to-scramble" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that Alaska Airlines announced it will be cutting down its flight schedule by around 10% for the remainder of the month of January as it addresses ongoing staffing and weather issues.
ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/alaska-air-trims-january-flights-cope-virus-outbreak-82117508?cid=social_twitter_abcn">reported</a>:
<blockquote>
Alaska’s announcement came on a day in which more than 2,100 U.S. flights were canceled by early evening on the East Coast, according to FlightAware. The tracking service said that equaled about 8% of the day’s scheduled flights, and it was the 12th straight day of 1,000-plus cancellations, which airlines blamed on the virus surge and winter weather.
Worldwide, airlines had canceled about 4,700 flights.
</blockquote>

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3,000 United Airlines Workers Out Due To COVID-19, Leading To Flight Cancellations And Delays