AIR INDIA EXPRESS CANCELS MORE THAN 80 FLIGHTS AFTER CREW CALL IN SICK

Fri 10 May 2024:

Air India’s low-cost airline, Air India Express, faced a wave of flight cancellations as numerous cabin crew members called in sick unexpectedly.

The carrier had to announce the cancellation of 85 flights on Thursday. Reports suggest that this sudden sick leave may stem from discontent among staff regarding new hiring and promotion policies implemented after the national airline’s privatization in 2021, which saw it being sold to the Indian conglomerate Tata Group.

Disruptions began on Tuesday, affecting over 90 flights, although it wasn’t specified whether delays or cancellations occurred. Chaos ensued at New Delhi’s airport on Wednesday as passengers anxiously awaited flight updates.

#ImportantUpdate

We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused by unprecedented flight delays and cancellations. While we are working hard to minimise disruptions, please check your flight status before heading to the airport. If your flight is impacted, please reach out… pic.twitter.com/JySbD3trb0

— Air India Express (@AirIndiaX) May 8, 2024

Aloke Singh, the budget carrier’s CEO, revealed that more than 100 staff members had called in sick. While the airline took action against some individuals, details were not disclosed. The disruption inconvenienced thousands of passengers, according to an Air India Express spokesperson.

NDTV reported that nearly 300 employees had called in sick and were unresponsive. The airline terminated 30 employees and warned others to report by 4 pm on Thursday or face consequences.

Air India Express has adjusted its flight schedule and mobilized resources to operate 283 flights on Thursday. The airline, with over 2,000 cabin crew members, serves 31 domestic and 14 international destinations with a fleet of more than 70 aircraft.

Normalcy in next two days

The operations of Air India Express slowly started improving on Friday as more cabin crew members are joining back for duty, after significant flight disruptions caused by cabin crew strike that has been called off. The strike by a section of the cabin crew since Tuesday night that resulted in the cancellation of more than 170 flights was called off on Thursday evening and the airline also withdrew termination letters issued to 25 striking cabin crew.

The Tata Group airline, which operates around 380 flights daily, has curtailed operations in the wake of the strike and the official on Friday said, normalcy is expected in the next two days.

Cabin crew who were on strike are joining back and the airline is extending support to them in getting the fitness certificate, which is required to resume duty, the official added. The official also said that most international flights are in the evening time and the operations on that front are expected to be better from Friday onwards with the availability of more cabin crew.

On average, the airline operates 120 international flights and 260 domestic services daily while there are fewer flights on some days.
Tata Group faces setbacks in its efforts to revamp Air India following its privatization. The purchase of the national carrier in October 2021 aimed to transform it into a top-tier airline, but challenges have emerged.

Staff at Air India Express expressed dissatisfaction with the privatisation, citing concerns about unequal treatment and changes to their compensation. Vistara, another carrier co-owned by Tata, encountered issues when pilots called in sick due to fatigue and low wages, resulting in flight cancellations.

Air India Express — which is in the process of completing the merger of AIX Connect, formerly AirAsia India, with itself — has around 6,000 employees, including over 2,000 cabin crew.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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