FAA warns of potential flight delays due to increased COVID cases among employees

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is warning that travelers may face delays in the coming days due to an increased number of employees testing positive for COVID-19 -- at a time when Americans have been dogged by flight cancellations due to the ongoing pandemic.

An FAA spokesperson told Fox News that weather and heavy seasonal traffic will contribute to some travel delays in the coming days around New Year's Day.

"Like the rest of the U.S. population, an increased number of FAA employees have tested positive for COVID-19," the spokesperson said. "To maintain safety, traffic volume at some facilities could be reduced, which might result in delays during busy periods."

It comes at a time when airline have canceled thousands of flights over the holiday period. Flight-tracking service FlightAware showed 1,222 cancellations and 860 delays within, into, or out of the U.S. around 9:30 a.m. ET.

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