HONOLULU — Hawaiian Airlines canceled a total of 27 flights on New Year’s Eve due to staffing shortages. 

The canceled flights included 22 interisland flights and 5 transpacific flights, according to Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson Marissa Villegas.

On average, Hawaiian Airlines operates 140 neighbor island flights and 210 flights systemwide each day.

Hawaiian Airlines’ flight cancellations come as airlines across the U.S. have had to postpone flights because of staffing shortages related to the spread of the highly contagious omicron variant of COVID-19. 

Villegas told Spectrum News Hawaii that on Thursday, Hawaiian Airlines had 175 employees who had tested positive for COVID-19 and whose cases remain active, and 262 employees who are self-isolating and monitoring for symptoms.

“Employees remain listed as positive until they are medically cleared to return to work,” Villegas said. “We are asking all employees who are sick or have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 to stay home, monitor their symptoms, and get tested before returning to work.”

“Ninety percent of our employees live in Hawaiʻi and we are not immune to the local spread of the disease,” Villegas added. “The vast majority of our employees are vaccinated and understand the importance of keeping our community safe.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: The original story was updated with additional comments from Hawaiian Airlines. (Dec. 31, 2021)