JetBlue Cuts Hundreds of Flights Through Mid-January, Expecting More Omicron Sick Calls

JetBlue Airways is cutting more than 1,280 flights from Thursday through mid-January in anticipation of more Covid-19 infections among pilots and flight attendants.

New York-based JetBlue and other carriers, including United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, have canceled more than 4,000 flights since Christmas Eve, struggling with bad weather and a surge in sick calls from crews.

"This past week has been one of our most difficult operating periods during the pandemic," three JetBlue department leaders wrote Tuesday in a note to staff, which was seen by CNBC. "The exponential growth in Omicron cases over just a couple of days is at a level that no one could reasonably prepare for."

They said the airline would cancel flights "to get even further ahead of the expected increase in Omicron cases." The planned flight cuts are slightly below 10% of JetBlue's daily schedules.

JetBlue canceled 173 flights, or 17% of its schedule Thursday, while more than 1,000 flights were canceled nationwide, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. United Airlines, meanwhile canceled 188 flights, or 8% of its mainline schedule, while regional airline SkyWest dropped 144, or 6%. Seattle-based Alaska Airlines canceled 95 flights, 14% of what it planned to fly.

More at

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/business/money-report/jetblue-cuts-hundreds-of-flights-through-mid-january-expecting-more-omicron-sick-calls/2788066/?_osource=SocialFlowTwt_LABrand

I heard even more were canceled by those other main air lines as the sick calls mounted.

It's been a mess to fly; even if I wanted to go somewhere, I'd think long and hard.

seems like the safest way to travel is by personal car...but that doesn't help if there is an ocean in the way

Flying right now is very iffy; people not behaving, crew shortages leading to cancelations... IMO it's too iffy right now.

Also people who are not vaccinated in some airlines. 
I don't think I would want to fly right now either. 

I surely would not also ride Greyhound,  I need to find out what Covid restrictions besides masks they might have.

trains seem safe in many areas- you would be the expert

Most are, but there are some, I would not ever, some eastern European countries for instance, they are known to leave the train doors open and run the train anyway, no one makes sure they are closed first!  It makes me wonder about other safety issues they might have.

it could be fun to travel in Latvia or Estonia as I think I have kinfolk from there.
I wouldn't want to do it right now though with the circumstances in Russia and Ukraine.