Air India Express grappled with a crisis as it cancelled 85 flights on Thursday, representing about 23% of its total daily capacity, amidst disruptions caused by a shortage of cabin crew. To mitigate passenger inconvenience, the airline announced that Air India would operate services on 20 of its routes. The cancellations come in the wake of approximately 25 cabin crew members receiving termination letters for allegedly staging a mass sick leave protest against the airline’s management.
Although Air India Express did not explicitly mention the termination letters in its statement, it indicated that appropriate action was being taken against specific individuals whose actions had led to significant inconvenience for thousands of passengers.
In a revised statement, the airline clarified, “Today, we will operate 283 flights. We have mobilised all resources, and Air India will assist us by flying on 20 of our routes. However, 85 of our flights have been cancelled.” These cancellations amount to around 23% of the daily flights scheduled by the Tata Group-owned airline, which typically operates about 368 flights per day.
Passengers affected by the disruptions were advised to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport. Those whose flights were cancelled or delayed by more than three hours were assured of a full refund or the option to reschedule without incurring any fees.
Earlier in the day, Air India Express had issued termination notices to 25 cabin crew members who had called in sick, while urging others to return to duty by 4 p.m. on Thursday. The airline reiterated its commitment to addressing any concerns raised by its cabin crew but emphasized that it would take appropriate action against individuals responsible for causing inconvenience to passengers.
