(WBBM NEWSRADIO) —Chicago-based United Airlines says 3,000 employees are now out sick due to COVID-19, and that is leading to massive disruptions of the airline's schedule.
Prof. Joe Schwieterman, director of the Chaddick Institute at DePaul University, said it’s the biggest non-weather-related disruption in airline schedules since 2019.
"It reminds me of the 737-Max problem, where so many flights had to be cancelled all at once," Schwieterman told the Noon Business Hour on Tuesday.
He added that United is doing a good job of managing schedules so that passengers have adequate notice that a flight has been cancelled.
"They're pretty good at forecasting where their labor is going to be, because with COVID tests every day is a new surprise," Schwieterman added.
Even though 3,000 workers are out with COVID, United CEO Scott Kirby said in a letter to employees no workers have died and few have gone to the hospital. Kirby credits the airline’s vaccine requirement.
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