CHARLOTTE — Over Christmas weekend, nearly every major airline was forced to cancel flights because of a surge in COVID-19 cases impacting pilots. It’s a problem that left passengers connecting through Charlotte scrambling to keep up.
On Monday morning, Charlotte Douglas International Airport was still full of travelers trying to make their way home after Christmas.
Over the weekend, American Airlines, the largest carrier at CLT, had the least amount of problems compared to other airlines like United, JetBlue and Delta. But by Monday, American Airlines was forced to cancel some flights too.
As of Tuesday morning, 1,220 flights have been canceled in, to or from the United States, according to FlightAware.
Sunday was one of the busiest travel days of the year, with tens of thousands of people either connecting or starting their trip at Charlotte Douglas.
According to FlightAware, 1,296 flights were canceled across the country, including outbound international flights.
Charlotte fared far better than most major airports Sunday, with only 15 cancellations and 134 delayed flights. But that didn’t stop the headaches for many passengers.
Airlines said COVID-19 was the main reason they had so many cancelations around the country -- flight crews had called out sick or were in quarantine.
The traffic through the airport was steady during the week of Christmas, even as the CDC announced COVID-19 infections were peaking from the omicron variant. United, Delta, and Alaska Airlines were forced to cancel flights right before Christmas, saying COVID-19 cases were impacting flight crews and people who run operations.
Charlotte Douglas experienced fewer issues on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. According to FlightAware, only 15 flights were canceled and 134 flights were delayed as of Sunday evening. United Airlines announced Thursday that it had canceled more than 100 Christmas Eve flights due to the surge in COVID-19 cases.
More than 1.4 million passengers were expected to fly out of CLT between Dec. 17, 2021 and Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. That’s compared to just 943,000 passengers last year.
A recent analysis of AAA’s flight booking data revealed that ticket prices for Christmas week were up 5% from last year, with the average lowest round-trip fare of $154 for major U.S. destinations. For those flying around New Year’s, prices were up considerably more – 27% with the average lowest fare at $182. The best fares for last-minute travel were about two weeks before the travel date.
Get to the airport early
Major airlines have offered employees incentives to work the holiday rush to avoid mass cancelations like those from American and Southwest a few weeks ago.
Bottom line? As always, get to the airport early this year. Here are some things you need to know during the busy travel season:
- Air travelers should plan for long lines at TSA checkpoints, ticket counters and restaurants.
- Currently, face masks or coverings are required in the terminal, parking lots and on shuttle buses. All airlines at Charlotte Douglas also require passengers to wear a mask.
- Due to the high traffic during the holidays, travelers should arrive at the airport at least two hours before their departure to allow time to get through security checkpoints. Security wait times are listed at cltairport.com and on the airport’s app.
Parking will also be at a premium, so passengers should make sure they have a spot. Travelers are encouraged to reserve a spot online before heading to the airport.
The following days were forecasted to be the busiest with approximately 66,000 to 70,000 daily passengers expected to depart CLT:
- Friday, Dec. 17
- Sunday, Dec. 19 to Thursday, Dec. 23
- Sunday, Dec. 26 to Thursday, Dec. 30
- Sunday, Jan. 2 to Monday, Jan. 3
- Thursday, Jan. 6 to Friday, Jan. 7
According to airport officials, Christmas is the second-busiest time of the year for Charlotte Douglas, followed by Thanksgiving. The two holidays differ because Christmas and New Year’s travel is spread over more days.
(WATCH BELOW: Delays and cancelations continue Sunday at the CLT Airport)
©2021 Cox Media Group
