JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than 2500 flights were canceled across the world Monday. A thousand flights were affected in the United States. Only a few in and out of Jacksonville.
While some of the travelers told News4JAX that the pandemic was top of mind when they were deciding to travel, the real impact the virus is having, according to airlines, is on their staff.
“Not a bunch, just a few people who had delayed flights,” said Isabella Kohrt who was flying in from Atlanta.
Patrick Spirnak, traveling to Jacksonville from Cleveland said the same thing. “Where we came from? No, no, everything ran on time smooth. We had a connection flight. Everything went smooth.”
News4JAX did catch up with one person at JAX who was delayed. ““I had connecting in Miami. My flight was actually delayed 45 minutes to get here and then last night I got a notification that my flight out of Miami back to LA is actually delayed 25 minutes,” Leta Stevens said. “So I haven’t had any issues out of the Jacksonville airport at all but Miami’s seen some delays.”
Stevens said she is vaccinated, but that the emergence of COVID-19′s omicron variant was part of the equation when she decided whether to travel at all.
“I think people trust their inner circles to be doing the right things, wearing their masks, washing their hands,” Stevens said, “but you don’t know what everyone else is doing, and if they had large family gatherings where they’re coming from, so I think people are a little hesitant to be out in in big groups where they don’t know those people.”
Major U.S. airlines like United and Delta are blaming the resurgence of the pandemic for this week’s delays, saying many on their staff have contracted or were exposed to a case and had to quarantine.
If your flight is canceled or delayed significantly, the U.S. Department of Transportation guarantees you will get a refund in most circumstances.