On Wednesday, official sources announced that more than 90 Air India Express flights had been canceled since Tuesday night due to the cabin crew members taking a “mass sick leave”. Approximately three hundred senior cabin crew members turned off their phones and abruptly claimed sick, leading to the cancellation of both the international and domestic flights.
According to sources, the management of Air India Express is now attempting to communicate with the crew, who are demonstrating against the new employment terms at the airline owned by the Tata Group.
“Starting last night, a portion of our cabin crew suddenly reported unwell, which caused delays and cancellations on our flights. A representative for Air India Express stated, “Our teams are actively addressing this issue to minimize any inconvenience caused to our guests as a result, while we are engaging with the crew to understand the reasons behind these occurrences.”
“We sincerely apologise to our guests for this unexpected disruption and emphasise that this situation does not reflect the standard of service we strive to provide,” said a spokesman.
According to the airline, affected passengers will receive a complete refund or a free rescheduling to another date.
Several travelers voiced their dissatisfaction about the unexpected flight cancellations on social media. They claimed to know “no information” on the postponements.
On X, a “very disappointed” traveler said that he had arrived at the airport when word spread that his flight had been canceled.
For any inconvenience, we sincerely regret. In response to his tweet, Air India Express stated, “Please be informed that your flight has been cancelled due to operational reasons.”
The employees of Air India Express, a division of Air India, have reportedly complained about unequal treatment following the company’s merger with Tata Group.
They assert that despite passing interviews, some employees were given lower-paying jobs.
According to insiders, the crew has also claimed that important components of the compensation package have been changed or eliminated and that airline management is stifling any opposition.
The airline is also combining itself with AIX Connect, which was previously known as AirAsia India.
The Air India Express crisis occurred one month after full-service carrier Vistara of the Tata Group had cancellations as a result of pilot issues.
Pilot dissatisfaction at Vistara, which is merging with Air India, had been simmering since the new contracts raised questions about rosters for pilots operating flights and a portion of their compensation packages.