MINNEAPOLIS — Flight cancellations continue to plague MSP International Airport Monday morning after nearly 75 local flights were canceled over the weekend.
Metropolitan Airports Commission spokesperson Patrick Hogan confirmed 38 flights have been canceled at MSP so far.
Over the holiday weekend, thousands of flights were canceled nationwide.
"We have pilots and flight attendants who have been calling out sick after they've tested positive, so that's really taken the situation and created a staffing shortage," said David Slotnick, Senior Aviation Business Reporter at "The Points Guy."
Slotnick said the omicron variant paired with hazardous weather conditions - continues to wreak havoc for airlines and travelers.
According to MSP, more than 74 flights were cancelled and more than 121 were delayed Sunday.
Leading up to the holiday weekend, Delta projected daily cancellations between 200 to 300 flights at airports across the country as teams tackle winter weather conditions, the new variant and the holiday rush.
On Sunday, a spokesperson with Sun Country airlines told KARE 11, "Severe weather and understaffing due to COVID sick calls challenged our team at MSP yesterday" — which led to dozens of delays.
"It's at a pretty bad point for the airlines affected but at some point that is going to get better."
Slotnick said during the off-peak travel season airlines will have to try to win back customers turned off by recent cancellations and delays.
"Now, they have to come back and really convince customers who may have been nervous that it is really safe to travel and it's just a setback," he said.
For travelers, Slotnick said it's important to check in with airlines and be flexible.
"If you're traveling during a period like this, keep checking your reservation, a lot of cancellations are happening in advance, and if you know you can prepare," he said.
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