Advertisement

Dec. 24, 2021 / 10:58 AM / Updated Dec. 24, 2021 at 4:31 PM

Thousands of flights canceled on Christmas Eve

An airline crew waits to be tested for COVID-19 upon arriving from Australia at LAX in Los Angeles on Thursday. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI

1 of 5 | An airline crew waits to be tested for COVID-19 upon arriving from Australia at LAX in Los Angeles on Thursday. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

Dec. 24 (UPI) -- Over 3,000 flights on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were canceled globally as the Omicron variant spreads.

Thousands of travelers received last-minute cancelation notices for flights on Friday and Saturday due to a recent spike of Omicron cases, especially among airline workers.

Advertisement

More than 2,000 flights -- including about 500 tied to the United States -- were canceled globally on Christmas Eve.

More than 5,700 flights were delayed Friday, including more than 900 tied to the United States, according to Flight Aware.

TSA said it screened 2.19 million people at airports across the country on Thursday, the highest since travel for the holidays started a week ago.

United Airlines said Thursday that it had to cancel at least 170 flights because pilots and crewmembers contracted the virus. Delta Airlines canceled 151 Christmas Eve flights on Thursday night and JetBlue canceled more than 50 flights.

Lufthansa also announced cancelations on Wednesday. Air China canceled about 190 flights while China Eastern canceled around 474 flights.

Read More

Australian authorities charge 5 teens in connection with church stabbings

World News // 2 hours ago

Australian authorities charge 5 teens in connection with church stabbings

April 25 (UPI) -- Australian authorities have charged five juveniles in related terrorism activities and police continued to probe an April 15 stabbing in Wakeley.

Venice launches $5 entry fee for day-trippers

World News // 3 hours ago

Venice launches $5 entry fee for day-trippers

April 25 (UPI) -- Visitors to Italy looking to make a day trip to Venice will be charged a fee to enter the iconic city starting Thursday as part of a plan to address over-tourism.

Climate row kills Scotland's SNP-Scottish Greens coalition, SNP to rule without majority

World News // 4 hours ago

Climate row kills Scotland's SNP-Scottish Greens coalition, SNP to rule without majority

April 25 (UPI) -- Scotland's Scottish Nationalist Party-led coalition fell apart Thursday after a three year-long power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens imploded in a row over the scrapping of carbon emissions targets.

Chinese dissident denied asylum fights to stay in South Korea

World News // 7 hours ago

Chinese dissident denied asylum fights to stay in South Korea

JEJU ISLAND, South Korea, April 25 (UPI) -- A Chinese dissident who was imprisoned in his native country for more than two years fights to stay in South Korea after being denied asylum.

North Korea warns of forceful response if U.S. tightens sanctions monitoring

World News // 9 hours ago

North Korea warns of forceful response if U.S. tightens sanctions monitoring

SEOUL, April 25 (UPI) -- North Korea on Thursday condemned new efforts to monitor sanctions enforcement against it and warned the United States of an "upward readjustment of force" in response.

Russia vetoes U.N. resolution opposing space-based nuclear arms

World News // 17 hours ago

Russia vetoes U.N. resolution opposing space-based nuclear arms

April 24 (UPI) -- Russia vetoed a U.S.- and Japan-sponsored U.N. resolution, opposing the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, during a Wednesday vote among the United Nations' 15-member security council.

After villages razed in Sudan, U.S. calls for immediate end to attacks in North Darfur

World News // 21 hours ago

After villages razed in Sudan, U.S. calls for immediate end to attacks in North Darfur

April 24 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of State on Wednesday called for an immediate cessation of fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and breakaway Rapid Support Forces that endangers millions in Sudan.

U.N. calls for independent probe into reports of mass graves found at Gaza hospitals

World News // 1 day ago

U.N. calls for independent probe into reports of mass graves found at Gaza hospitals

April 24 (UPI) -- The United Nations is calling for an independent investigation into reports of mass graves found at two hospitals in Gaza that had been besieged by Israeli forces.

German MEP won't back out of elections after aide arrested for spying

World News // 23 hours ago

German MEP won't back out of elections after aide arrested for spying

April 24 (UPI) -- Conservative German MEP Maximilian Krah said on Wednesday that he will not drop out of the European election race after one of his top aides was charged with spying for China.

Germany to restart funding for UNRWA after independent report

World News // 1 day ago

Germany to restart funding for UNRWA after independent report

April 24 (UPI) -- Germany said it plans to resume funding the UNRWA after joining more than a dozen other countries in suspending support amid allegations that employees were involved in the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement