Trouble in the air: Sky Harbor sees over 30 canceled flights on Christmas Eve
(Earlier Story) Sky Harbor Airport saw more travelers ahead of Christmas Eve
With COVID cancelling many holiday plans in 2020, many people are expected to make up for those cancelled trips in the days ahead, and Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix saw a lot of travelers on Dec. 23, ahead of Christmas Eve. FOX 10's Irene Snyder reports.
PHOENIX - There was a little turbulence for travelers on Christmas even, with some of them impacted by flight delays and cancellations.
Read more: Omicron variant causes Christmas flight cancellations and holiday travel headaches
Across the U.S., United Airlines was forced to cancel many flights on Christmas Eve, in part due to the coronavirus omicron variant.
According to Flight Aware, United Airlines has canceled 121 flights on Friday, which is equivalent to 6% of their overall flight schedule. FOX Business has identified 21 instances where United Airlines cancellations on Christmas Eve are directly attributed to the coronavirus, stating that staffing issues have caused the cancellation.
Meanwhile, a Delta Air Lines spokesperson said around 90 flights were being canceled on Friday.
Sky Harbor impacted by cancellations
At Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, a little more than 30 flights were canceled from Dec. 23 to 24.
On Dec. 23, the airport was busy, with travelers either heading home for the holidays, or heading to Arizona to escape the cold.
"My family's here, and I'll just be spending time with family and friends," said Stefanie Merriet.
"We came down here to get a little warmth, escape the snow," said one traveler, identified only as ‘Chris.’
While some travelers may not be plowing through snow in the Phoenix area, they still have to work their way through the crowded terminal, and catch seats on full flights.
"The only thing I don't like about it is when you get stuck, 'cause the airport is so busy!" said one traveler, identified only as ‘Evan.’
Some traveled ahead of holiday rush
Some travelers headed to their destination earlier in the week to beat the rush.
"Seeing a lot of people. We just know it's the holidays, so everyone is trying to get home to their families," said a person traveling from New Mexico, identified only as 'Esafefetu.'
For one family, home for the holidays has a special meaning this year. Jennifer Smith was welcoming her son, Nickolas Martin, home from the Army.
"I'm just excited to spend time with my family, to catch up on things I miss and just kind of go back to my life," said Martin, who serves as a Private First Class with the U.S. Army.
"So proud of him, and Christmas without him there – yeah, I probably wouldn't even have decorated, honestly. So proud of him, and can't want to get him home," said Smith.
"It's really great to have Nick back home, and I always love to see him," said Martin's brother, Jacob.
Estimates: 100m+ people to travel during 2021 holiday season
According to officials with the AAA, 109 million people will be heading out of town for the Christmas holiday, with many making up for canceled trips in 2020.
Meanwhile, TSA officials project travel numbers to reach levels near those seen prior to the pandemic.
Road trips remain the top mode of travel this holiday season, with more than 100 million people planning to hit the road.
Currently, gas prices average around $3.41 a gallon. While it is a bit lower than during Thanksgiving, it is still hitting drivers hard.
"It's, like, $60 to $70 for a full tank," said one driver, identified only as 'Anthony.' "Before, it was like $50 or $40, but now, it's been, like, $60 to $70 since gas prices went up."
Concerns persist over omicron variant
2021's travel season is still being affected by COVID-19. On Dec. 23, it was reported that many flights are being canceled on Dec. 24 as a result of the omicron variant.
On Dec. 23, a United Airlines spokesperson confirmed to FOX Business that the nationwide spike in omicron variant cases has disrupted some of their flights.
"The nationwide spike in Omicron cases this week has had a direct impact on our flight crews and the people who run our operation. As a result, we’ve unfortunately had to cancel some flights and are notifying impacted customers in advance of them coming to the airport. We’re sorry for the disruption and are working hard to rebook as many people as possible and get them on their way for the holidays," the spokesperson said.
United Airlines isn't the only airline feeling the impact of the omicron variant, as Delta Air Lines is also blaming the omicron variant for some flight cancellations.
According to a Delta Air Lines spokesperson, around 90 flights are being canceled on Friday.
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