Omicron's Rapid Spread Shreds Budding Recovery In Air Travel

Omicron Variant Effect: The emerging Covid wave has put airlines under even more pressure as they navigate rules that vary by country and are being revised daily.

Rapid and still-evolving border restrictions in response to the omicron variant have submerged air-travel demand yet again, throwing a long-awaited recovery into uncertainty.

The emerging coronavirus wave has put airlines under even more pressure as they navigate rules that vary by country and are being revised daily as more information about the strain comes to light.

Carriers slashed 151,000 flights scheduled globally through Feb. 1 in the first week the new variant appeared, or 2.9% of the number as it stood on Nov. 24, according to data compiled by BloombergNEF.

The numbers offer an early view into the scale of damage omicron has caused so far. Airlines have made steep cuts for this week, but held off from doing so further along in the calendar -- suggesting a higher number of cancellations are in store as the variant is identified in more countries.