Air India Express cancels more than 70 flights
Official sources reported on Wednesday that more than seventy Air India Express flights were canceled due to the cabin staff members taking a “mass sick leave”. Up to 79 domestic and international flights were canceled as a result of over 300 senior cabin crew members turning off their phones and abruptly reporting sick.
More than 70 international and domestic flights of Air India Express from Tuesday night till Wednesday morning have been cancelled after the senior crew member of the airline went on mass 'sick leave'. Civil Aviation authorities are looking into the issue: Aviation Sources
— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2024
According to sources, the management of Air India Express is now attempting to communicate with the crew, who are demonstrating a protest against the new employment terms at the airline owned by the Tata Group.
During the summer schedule that began in the last week of March, the airline, which is in the process of merging with AIX Connect (previously AirAsia India), will fly 360 daily flights.
The airline stated that they will provide a complete refund or free rescheduling to impacted passengers and that they are interacting with the personnel to “understand the reasons behind occurrences of sick leave.”
Also read: Stock market falling before Lok Sabha election results. These are some of the reasons..
“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,” an Air India Express spokesperson said.
The spokesperson also stated that Customers affected by cancellations will receive a complete refund or a complimentary rescheduling to a different date.
A number of passengers voiced their dissatisfaction about the unexpected flight cancellations on social media. They claimed to have “no information” on the postponements.
Also read: SC rejects Arvind Kejriwal interim bail plea following arrest
Air India Express was acquired by Tata Group in 2022
In January 2022, as part of a strategic divestment initiative spearheaded by the government, the Tata Group acquired both Air India and Air India Express. The airline and AIX Connect, the erstwhile AirAsia India, are presently integrating.
According to the most recent data available from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Air India Express is the third-largest Indian carrier for international traffic to and from India, while AIX Connect holds a 5.8% share in the domestic aviation industry.
Between October and December of 2023, the airline carried 1.2 million passengers and owned a 7.1% ownership. In addition to being a significant carrier for the Middle East, it is anticipated to grow its network as part of a larger group synergy initiative with its parent company, Air India.
