Coronavirus Illnesses have severely affected bus traffic in the Helsinki metropolitan area, a few VR commuter trains have been canceled so far

Omicron conversion the effects of the rapid spread are starting to show in public transport in the metropolitan area. Finnair has also had to cancel a few of its flights and VR a few commuter trains due to sick leave.

Nobina, which operates about 8,000 bus services on a regular weekday in the Helsinki metropolitan area, has had to cancel about 100-200 flights a day in the last week.

“Throughout the corona pandemic, the illnesses have not hit as hard as we are now driving. There are already so many absences that we have no chance of preparing for such an amount. Unfortunately, some of the passengers waiting at the stop have to experience this, ”says Nobina’s traffic director. Mårten Winqvist.

On a normal weekday, Nobina has to cancel in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area for about a few thousand times, ie less than ten shifts, due to various technical reasons.

Already before the Christmas holidays, absenteeism began to explode, according to Winqvist. There are many sick people, and in addition, many drivers still have to wait a long time for access to the corona test and test results.

HS said Monday that right now access to the corona test can take days in the metropolitan area. The operation of the Women’s Clinic is also hampered by the fact that many staff representatives have contracted coronary heart disease.

Winqvist estimates that bus traffic is becoming difficult for at least this week.

“Attempts are being made to arrange cancellations so that there are no departures from the busiest routes where the next bus will arrive in a few minutes. We have requested traffic in the Helsinki region [HSL] to add information about canceled flights to their information channels, ”he says.

However, the driver shift game is complex and patches are not always easy to arrange.

The bus company Savonlinja also operates several lines in the HSL area. Regional Director Jarkko Toivonen says that its drivers’ sick leave has increased significantly but shifts have yet to be driven.

Read more: Metropolitan corona group: current restrictions to be extended for two weeks

In train traffic Absences have increased and the increase in the number of quarantines began in December to keep VR staff away from work.

“A few commuter train services in the Helsinki metropolitan area have had to be canceled, but long-distance services have so far been run,” says VR’s Director of Passenger Traffic Topi Simola.

VR has introduced a number of means in local transport, such as overtime, which has made it possible to handle trains despite absences. Long-distance transport has still been managed with the usual arrangements.

“If the situation worsens, even in long-distance transport, absences can be made up by overtime, and when safety criteria are met, long-distance trains can be sent understaffed. VR may also transfer staff training. The last resort is to cancel shifts, ”says Simola.

Carrier Even at Finnair, the absences caused by the ominous wave are reflected in the fact that individual flights have had to be canceled.

“That’s when we try to get passengers re-routed to their destinations,” says the communications director Days in Tallqvist.

According to him, Finnair has prepared for the wave of sick leave caused by omikron by increasing the number of on-call staff.

Airlines normally have an on-call system that can quickly call deputies to work if one of the staff falls ill shortly before departure.

“We have also lightened our traffic schedule somewhat, meaning flights have been canceled to some destinations that fly several times a day,” says Tallqvist.

Correction 3.1 at 22.00: Nobina has had to cancel about 100-200 shifts a day in the last week. Earlier in the article, the phrase was misused: Nobina has had to cancel 100-200 shifts a day this week.