KTLA

Check your flight: Cancellations continue as airlines blame omicron for staffing shortages

Hundreds of flights across the nation have been canceled again Monday as travelers try to make their way home from a busy holiday weekend.

Several airlines, including Delta, United, JetBlue and American have blamed the cancellations on staffing shortages brought on by the rapidly spreading omicron variant.

“This was unexpected,” United spokesperson Maddie King said about the variant’s effect on staffing over the weekend.

Globally, more than 5,500 flights had to be canceled Saturday and Sunday.

As of 8 a.m. Monday, more than 2,400 additional flights had already been canceled globally, with more than 7,000 delayed, according to FlightAware.com.

Check your flight status at FlightAware.com

More than 900 of those canceled flights, and about 2,100 of the delayed flights, were scheduled within, into, or out of the U.S.

One traveler, who was hoping to board a plane Monday morning at Los Angeles International Airport, said she had to sleep at the airport after her flight was canceled Sunday. “So, today we will try our flight,” she said.

But, the problems were continuing for many passengers at LAX Monday morning.

The airport had reported 75 cancellations and 112 flight delays by 8 a.m., according to FlightAware.

LAX urged passengers on twitter to check their flight status and reminded travelers to wear a mask while at the airport.