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Of the thousands of cancellations and delays of airline flights in the past month, most have been caused by Covid-19 outbreaks or perilous weather. But a flight from Honduras to Miami on Tuesday was delayed for a more novel reason — a passenger stormed the cockpit and apparently tried to climb out a window. While an American Airlines flight was boarding at Ramón Villeda Morales International Airport in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, the passenger rushed into the open cockpit and “caused damage to the aircraft,” the airline said Tuesday. A video posted on Twitter by a man who appeared to have been at the airport showed that the passenger may have been trying to exit the plane through a cockpit window. Crew members intervened before the local authorities apprehended the man, American said. “We applaud our outstanding crew members for their professionalism in handling a difficult situation,” the statement said. It was unclear what the man’s motive was. American Airlines referred further questions to the local authorities, which did not respond to emails or phone calls on Tuesday night. The episode came at a time when airlines have seen a surge in violent behavior by passengers, many of whom who are protesting mask mandates. Regardless of motivation, the passenger’s actions on Tuesday forced his fellow passengers to wait around seven hours for a new aircraft.<br/>

Finland’s national carrier Finnair Oyj canceled roughly 20% of its flights in February, in anticipation that staff sick leaves will continue to increase. The move is intended to avoid last-minute changes and better manage customer expectations after a surge in absences tied to Covid-19 triggered scheduling chaos at US airlines over the year-end holidays. “The omicron coronavirus variant and flu season have led to a significant increase of sick leave” at the airline and with partner companies, it said Wednesday. “Flight cancellations will enable Finnair to operate a more flexible schedule and adapt to the expected rise in sick leave.” Most of the canceled services are on routes with multiple daily flights, including Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Paris and Rome, Finnair said. With schedules already limited by border curbs, European airlines were able to avoid last-minute cancellations over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday. However, some restrictions are now being lifted, suggesting other carriers in the region may also face challenges with staff shortages. <br/>