RT.com
14 Jan 2022, 02:47 GMT+10
Thousands of staff absences have contributed to mass flight cancellations
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian has revealed 8,000 of its 75,000 employees have tested positive for Covid-19 in a matter of weeks, and he predicts a ?difficult? time ahead for travel.
Bastian revealed the numbers during an interview on CNBC on Thursday, and also predicted losses for the company for the first quarter of the year due to the unpredictability of Covid-19 and fast-spreading variants like Omicron.
In the past four weeks, roughly 8,000 Delta employees - approximately 11% of the company's workforce - have tested positive for Covid, Bastian said, contributing to the cancellation of thousands of flights across the US during the holiday season.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby similarly announced 3,000 positive Covid infections among its 70,000 staff earlier this week, forcing reduced schedules for the company.
Bastian claims, however, that the situation is beginning to steady and no sick absences have evolved into anything more serious.
READ MORE: US aviation authority raises 5G risks days ahead of launch
"There were no significant health issues that we were seeing from it, but it knocked them out of the operation for a period of time at the same time that we had the busiest travel that we have seen in two years," he said. He later added only 1% of flights have been canceled by the airline in the past week.
Delta was one of multiple airlines that canceled flights over the holiday season, as it struggled to comply with Covid health guidelines. Mass cancellations stemming from Covid and severe winter storms caused Delta to report a $408 million loss for the final quarter of 2021.
In December, Bastian co-signed a letter requesting that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shorten its isolation recommendation from 10 days to five days to help with staffing shortages, a move criticized by the Association of Flight Attendants. A few days later, the recommendation was shortened to five days of isolation after a positive Covid test, if asymptomatic.
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of International Travel News news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to International Travel News.
More InformationNEW YORK, New York - U.S. stock markets closed firmly in positive territory to start the week Monday, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that he was halting trade discussions with Canada due to its decision...
LONDON, U.K.: A little-known investment fund based in the United Arab Emirates has emerged as the most prominent public backer of U.S....
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Across the U.S., a growing number of people are taking obesity treatment into their own hands — literally....
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Under pressure from European regulators, Apple has revamped its App Store policies in the EU, introducing...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: The U.S. dollar tumbled this week, hitting its lowest levels since 2021 against the euro, British pound, and...
NEW DELHI, India: India has decided not to allow a United Nations (UN) investigator to join the investigation into the recent Air India...
BANGKOK, Thailand: This week, Thailand implemented land border restrictions, including a ban on tourists traveling to Cambodia, as...
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 1 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh stated that the Central...
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], June 30(ANI): The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated...
Varna has kicked off the 2025 summer season on a strong note, with a notable increase in tourist arrivals and overnight stays during...
HAIKOU, June 30 (Xinhua) -- In the processing workshop of Hainan Changshu Seedling Development Co., Ltd. in Chengmai County, south...