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Over 100 Air India Express flights have been cancelled since Tuesday night after cabin crew members went on a “mass sick leave”, official sources said on Wednesday.
The international and domestic flights were cancelled after about 300 senior cabin crew members reported sick at the last minute and switched off their mobile phones, reported NDTV.
The Air India Express management is currently trying to reach out to the crew, who are protesting against the new employment term at the Tata Group-owned airline, sources said.
“A section of our cabin crew reported sick at the last minute, starting last night, resulting in flight delays and cancellations. While we are engaging with the crew to understand the reasons behind these occurrences, our teams are addressing this issue to minimise any inconvenience caused to our guests,” an Air India Express spokesperson said.
Guests impacted by cancellations will be offered a full refund or complimentary rescheduling to another date, the airline said.
Several passengers took to their social media accounts and complained about the sudden cancellations of their flights.
A “very disappointed” passenger on X said he had reached the airport when he was informed that his flight was cancelled.
“We apologise for any inconvenience. Please be informed that your flight has been cancelled due to operational reasons,” Air India Express said in response to his post.
According to sources, the crew at the Air India Express, a subsidiary of Air India, has alleged that there was a lack of equality in the treatment of the staff after the merger with Tata Group.
They claim that some staff members were offered lower job positions despite clearing interviews.
The crew has also alleged that the key parts of the compensation package have been modified or removed and that the airline management is shutting down the dissenting voices, sources said.
The airline is currently also in the process of merging AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India) with itself.
