Air India Express has canceled over 70 flights and delayed numerous others as some cabin crew members reported sick, allegedly in protest against mismanagement at the Tata Group-owned airline. The Ministry of Civil Aviation is closely monitoring the developments. Meanwhile, last week the Air India officials told Financial Express online that “there is no and will be no issue of pilot shortage within the airline.”
Customers to get full refund or complimentary rescheduling
The impacted customers will either get a full refund or receive complimentary rescheduling to another date. The airline’s spokesperson said that guests affected by cancellations will receive either a full refund or complimentary rescheduling to another date, and guests flying with them today are requested to check if their flight is affected before heading to the airport
Air India crew protest against ‘mismanagement’
The cancellations are reportedly a result of a protest by some cabin crew members against alleged mismanagement at the airline. According to a PTI report, discontent among the cabin crew has been growing, particularly since the beginning of the merger process with AIX Connect, formerly known as AirAsia India
More than 200 cabin crew are believed to have reported sick to protest against the alleged mismanagement at the airline. It may be noted that the airline, currently merging AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India) into its operations, had planned to operate 360 daily flights during the summer schedule, which began in late March.
Air India Express issues statement
An Air India Express spokesperson stated that the airline is in discussions with the cabin crew to understand their reasons for calling in sick and apologised for the disruptions to flights. “A section of our cabin crew has 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 actively addressing this issue to minimise any inconvenience caused to our guests as a result,” said Air India Express Spokesperson.
“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. Guests impacted by cancellations will be offered a full refund or complimentary rescheduling to another date. Guests flying with us today are requested to check if their flight is affected, before heading to the airport,” the spokesperson added.
Chaos at Delhi, Kerala airports
Flight disruptions are happening at various airports, including Delhi, Kochi, Calicut and Bangalore. Angry Passengers Protest Last-Minute Air India Express Flight Cancellations in Kerala and Delhi airport. Protests erupted among passengers at all airports on Wednesday due to the sudden cancellation of their Air India Express flights. Massive chaos was seen at the Delhi Airport after the airline had cancelled three flights to Goa, as per social media post.
In Kerala, mostly passengers bound for Gulf nations, they complained of being notified about the cancellations after completing security checks and waiting to board. While Air India Express has offered full refunds or rescheduling, passengers remain dissatisfied. Many fear job loss if they fail to reach work on time, while others face expiring work visas.
