Crew members fired from Air India
Following a widespread sick leave among cabin crew members, Air India Express reportedly terminated the contracts of around 30 employees who failed to report for duty on Wednesday. The protesting crew members cited illness, resulting in more than 90 flight cancellations and delays, leaving numerous passengers stranded at various airports since Tuesday night.
The termination letter from the flight agency stated, “Your sick leave amounts to a collective effort to disrupt services.” This was considered a breach of both laws and company regulations.
In response, the Chief Labour Commissioner scheduled a meeting with the Air India Express union and CEO on Thursday. Meanwhile, a flight spokesperson assured efforts to minimize passenger inconvenience, with 283 flights operational and support from Air India. However, 85 flights remained canceled, prompting affected passengers to verify their flight status before heading to the airport.
The flight CEO Aloke Singh announced flight reductions due to crew shortages. Singh emphasized the disruption caused by over 100 cabin crew members falling ill before their scheduled flights, severely impacting operations.
The civil aviation ministry requested a report from Air India Express on flight cancellations, urging swift issue resolution and adherence to passenger facilities per DGCA norms. The airline, undergoing a merger with AIX Connect and Vistara, faced allegations of mismanagement and unequal treatment of staff by the Air India Express Employees Union.
This development follows pilot issues at Vistara, leading to a temporary capacity reduction. As Tata Group consolidates its airline business, merging Air India Express and AIX Connect, passengers expressed frustration on social media over the supposed flight cancellations.
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