Omicron’s rapid spread shreds budding recovery in air travel

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. Aviation executives who had recovery in their sight less than two weeks ago called for a more uniform response. “Omicron just brings to the fore that we are not as coordinated as we should be,” said Jeffrey Goh, CEO of the 26-member Star Alliance. “International leadership is still wanting.” Researchers and governments are racing to get a grip on how deadly omicron is, how easily it spreads and how resistant it is to current vaccines. In the meantime, governments have tightened entry rules, banned flights and reintroduced quarantine measures to slow the variant’s spread. Requirements vary and can change rapidly, making air travel a befuddling proposition for those in a position to consider it. Over the weekend, the U.K. added a pre-flight test requirement for all incoming travelers, while the U.S. said it’s reviewing policies on a daily basis. Japan backtracked on a plan to stop inbound flight reservations. British Airways called the latest U.K. measures “completely out of step,” while Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab defended what he called a “balanced approach.” <br/>