SALT LAKE CITY — Delays and cancellations at the airport stretched into a third day on Monday after airlines reported staffing shortages caused by COVID-19. 

Airport delays hit SLC

As of 6:30 a.m. Monday, FlightAware.com reported 34 canceled flights at Salt Lake City International Airport and 42 delays.

Nationwide, the live flight delay and cancellation tracking website reported nearly 800 canceled flights Monday by 6:30 a.m. Mountain time. Globally, the number of canceled flights surpassed 2,000. 

Related: Utah pilots help travelers head home amid flight cancellations and delays

Sunday, airlines canceled more than 720 flights into, out of, or within the United States, down slightly from 1,000 cancellations on Christmas Day. 

Airlines cited a surge in COVID-19 infections, forcing flight crews to quarantine, in the delays nationwide. The omicron variant arrived just as many travelers felt comfortable flying again, meaning the staffing shortage coincided with an uptick in traffic volumes. 

A number of measures remain in place at the nation’s airports to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including a requirement that passengers wear masks in airports and on planes. 

Read more: 

• Airlines cancel more than 6,000 flights over Christmas weekend
• Case drop may show South Africa’s omicron peak has passed
• Airlines cancel flights due to COVID staffing shortages
• New COVID-19 treatment pills come as Utah omicron rates increase

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