Air India Express cabin crew ‘sick leaves’ affect over 70 domestic and international routes

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Fresh turbulence has hit the Tata Group once again. Its low-cost carrier Air India Express experienced delays and cancellations of over 70 domestic and international flights due to a section of its crew members calling in sick at the last minute.

In a statement to CNBC-TV18, an Air India Express spokesperson acknowledged the disruption. The spokesperson said, “A section of our cabin crew has reported sick at the last minute, starting last night, resulting in flight delays and cancellations.”

The spokesperson said since the disruptions began last night, the airline is engaging with the affected crew to understand the underlying reasons.

The spokesperson added that the airline’s teams are actively working to address this issue and minimise inconvenience to passengers.

Passengers impacted by cancellations, as stated by the spokesperson, will be offered either a full refund or complimentary rescheduling to another suitable date.

Sources said the aviation ministry has called for a report from Air India Express regarding the cancellations and asked them to resolve issues promptly while ensuring proper facilities are provided to passengers as per DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) norms.

In response to a complaint by one user Anoop over a cancelled flight on the X platform, Air India Express said: “…Please note that the flight is cancelled due to operational reasons. As a part of service recovery, you can either reschedule the flight within the next 7 days or opt for a full refund. You can make changes to your booking by visiting our chat bot, Tia-https://airindiaexpress.com/home.”

A PTI report mentioned that protests by irate passengers were witnessed at all airports in Kerala due to last-minute cancellations. According to the report, passengers, many of whom were travelling to the Gulf nations, said they were informed about the cancellations after completing security checks.

Many users also rued that no alternate flights were available.

@AirIndiaX @DGCAIndia Air India Express cancels a flight from Ayodhya to Kolkata departure at 9.05 am today and informs us less than 6 hours before departure and there is no alternate flight. We are stuck with 21 passengers and not getting any help from Airline. Pathetic…

— SATISH GOENKA (@SATISH130990) May 7, 2024

Air India Express has urged passengers travelling today to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport, considering the possibility of further disruptions.

Sources told CNCB-TV18 there have been over 70 flight delays or cancellations. Delhi Airport sources said 14 Air India Express flights were cancelled in Delhi of which seven each were departures and arrivals.

Crew members or pilots going on sick leave aren’t new to the Tata Group. Over the past few months, Vistara was also impacted as its pilots started going on mass leave due to contractual issues. This impacted Vistara’s operations, thus leading to a 10% reduction in flights.

In late April the Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU) wrote to Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekharn alleging mismanagement. The union talked about growing unrest and dissatisfaction among employees after the takeover by Tata Group. They said: “Several employees with impeccable records and longstanding service were terminated. Employees are silenced when attempting to address grievances. Management asks employees to remove their complaint posts from company platforms.”

The union also wrote: “Lack of equality in treatment of employees, internal postings filled by external candidates. Senior employees sidelined by new incumbents Air Asia employees are being given permanent payroll while Air India Express staff is being terminated without explanation. Essential allowances like HRA, DA, TA & DH given prior to the merger are now removed.”

Air India Express and Air Asia India are in the process of being merged into one single LCC for the Tata Group. AI Express currently has a fleet of 68 aircraft and operates over 360 daily flights. AI Express flies to 31 domestic and 14 international airports. AI Express has 40 Boeing 737s and 28 Airbus A320 aircraft.

Also see: In pics: Air India flight cancellations lead to protests in many airports

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow