ATLANTA — Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines canceled more than 100 flights on Christmas Day and expects more to be canceled on Sunday.
Flight tracking website FlightAware listed 289 flights were canceled on Christmas morning and another 74 routes were delayed. Information for Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport Saturday morning showed Delta had canceled 149 flights from Georgia's largest airport and another 31 were delayed.
The airline was one of several major carriers canceling flights ahead of Christmas, citing staffing shortages as the omicron variant surged coronavirus concerns and infections. On Christmas Eve, a spokesperson with the airline said inclement winter weather was also contributing to the cancellations.
"As winter weather impacts the northwest and northeast U.S. the omicron variant continues to surge, Delta teams exhausted all options and resources before canceling around 158 flights in Friday's nearly 3,100-flight schedule," a statement from the airline said.
The airline said it expected upwards of 150 flight cancellations per day for both Saturday and Sunday. It advised customers to check their flight status and manage any rebooking plans online.
Delta later said on Sunday it expects more than 300 of its flights will be canceled across the U.S.