San Diego flights are not quite as affected as those in the northwest and east, but Lindbergh Field is getting its share of cancellations and delays.
Just when you thought things might be looking up for air travel, analysts predict the number of cancelled and delayed flights will rise, as will the COVID case counts amid the omicron surge.
“We do what we need to do get vaccinated and use the mask. That is all we can do,“ traveler Isabel Amaya said.
Amaya and her companion Greg are on their way to Spain to map out a future retirement plan.
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Their original United Airlines flight was cancelled but they booked a better one with direct with British Airways.
“I didn’t have the drive to L.A. and park my car for, like, two and a half weeks,” traveler Greg Ebright said
They are forging ahead while New Yorker Rena Ross is in full retreat.
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“We were planning on going back on the 3rd [of January], and I don’t want to risk waiting until the 3rd and getting another cancellation, so we just jumped on a flight today, “ Ross said.
Ross and her husband are JetBlue passengers. Thursday JetBlue said it was cancelling 1,280 flights through mid-January. Industry analysts expect other carriers to follow suit.
According to Flight Aware, an online service that tracks air travel, there were 191 flight delays and 26 cancellations coming to and going from San Diego International Airport on Thursday.
On Wednesday, the numbers were similar: 181 flight delays and 23 cancellations.
At last check on Friday, there was one scheduled flight delay and seven cancellations, but those numbers will go up.
Despite the risks, Amaya has her priorities in order.
“I like to eat, so hopefully they won’t close the restaurants,” Amaya said.
They’ve taken precautions.
“We’ve been tested three times in the last day…all negative,” Ebright said.
Rena Ross said cutting her stay short won’t discourage her from coming back soon.
“We knew we were taking a risk to travel at this time of year, and we took the risk," Ross said. "If we have to cut it short, c'est la vie.”
Three things could help: The CDC has cut quarantine time in half, from 10 days to 5, for those who have COVID-19; getting through the holidays; and better weather. When things will get back to normal is anybody’s guess.
Some good news for those that are passing through: A representative for the airport told NBC 7 that it is fully staffed and remains under regular operations.
