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Air India Express likely to see normalcy return in its operations by Sunday
KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)
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Summary
The airline usually operates about 230 flights daily, but disruptions have been ongoing since May 7, when around 250 cabin crew reported sick. The airline has been cancelling around 100 flights daily, resulting in an estimated revenue loss of approximately Rs 30 crore.
Air India Express, owned by the Tata Group, cancelled 85 flights on Thursday due to a shortage of cabin crew, affecting around 23% of its total daily capacity.
A senior official told CNBC-TV18 that the airline could be staring at a revenue loss of Rs 30 crore owing to the large-scale flight cancellations and compensation to passengers.
The official added that Air India Express operates about 230 flights every day, adding that the flights cancelled were a mix of domestic & international with an 85% load factor.
About 250 cabin crew had reported sick of which, around 60 have resumed duty and the rest are rejoining gradually as they produce fitness certificates, he added.
The strike was initiated by many cabin crew members who reported sick in protest against alleged mismanagement at the airline and perceived inequality in staff treatment.
After the strike was called off, the airline pledged to restore the flight schedule swiftly and apologised to passengers affected by the disruptions.
In response to the disruptions, Air India will operate services on 20 of Air India Express’s routes to minimise inconvenience to passengers. Passengers have been advised to check if their flight is affected by the disruption before heading to the airport.
Also Read: Air India expands operations in Europe with new flights to Amsterdam, Milan and Copenhagen
If their flight is cancelled or delayed beyond three hours, they may opt for a full refund or reschedule to a later date without any fees.
In a significant move, Air India also issued termination letters to around 25 cabin crew members who reported sick in protest against alleged mismanagement at the airline.
On Wednesday, May 9, the airline reached an agreement with its agitating cabin crew following conciliation talks. The company has reinstated the 25 cabin crew members who were terminated for reporting sick.
Also Read: Air India Express reinstates 25 sacked staff after talks; cabin crew to resume work immediately
Air India Express, which is in the process of merging with AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India), employs around 6,000 people.
While not directly mentioning the termination letters, the airline stated that it is taking appropriate steps against certain individuals whose actions have caused grave inconvenience to thousands of passengers.
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