Over 90 flights cancelled as Air India Express crew goes on 'mass sick leave'

Air India Express faced delays or cancellations of approximately 90 flights due to a mass 'sick leave' taken by its crew members. 

The crew is protesting against the Tata management following the merger of AIX Connect. The airline operates over 350 daily flights and can manage up to 400 daily flights according to this summer's schedule.

The disruptions started on Monday evening when several cabin crew members began reporting sick, causing the cancellation of numerous flights at airports including Kochi, Calicut, and Bangalore due to a shortage of crew.

Reports indicate the flight cancellations stemmed from a lack of available Air India Express staff, as some staff members reported sick as part of their protest against the alleged mismanagement at the Tata Group-owned airline.

In a statement, Air India Express said, “A section of our cabin crew called in sick last minute starting last night, resulting in flight delays and cancellations. We are engaging with the crew to understand the reasons behind these occurrences and are actively working to minimize the inconvenience caused.”

“We sincerely apologize to our guests. Those affected will be offered a full refund or rescheduling. We advise passengers flying with us today to check the status of their flight before heading to the airport,” the statement added.

The Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU), representing some of the airline's cabin crew, wrote to Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran about employee grievances and concerns over the situation at Air India Express Limited, especially since its acquisition by TATA.

“It is with great disappointment that we address the growing unrest and dissatisfaction among the employees since the TATA takeover. The reality on the ground doesn't align with these principles. Despite assurances of job security, salary maintenance, and respect for seniority and experience, there has been a stark departure from these commitments,” the letter stated.