Around 300 senior cabin crew members of Air India took sick leave at the last minute, forcing the airline to cancel at least 78 domestic and international flights on Wednesday.
The cabin crew went on the unprecedented move, protesting against the new employment term following the airline's merger with Tata Group, reports NDTV.
The Air India Express management is currently trying to reach out to the crew who have reportedly kept their mobile phones switched off.
"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 airline authorities announced a full refund or complimentary rescheduling to another date for the passengers affected by the sudden schedule disruption.
Some "very disappointed" passengers on X said that they had reached the airport when they were informed that their flights were cancelled.
"We apologise for any inconvenience. Please be informed that your flight has been cancelled due to operational reasons," Air India Express said in response to one of the posts on X.
Why Air India Express Crew Is Protesting
According to sources, the crew at the Air India Express has alleged that there was a lack of equality in the treatment of the staff after the merger with Tata Group.
They claim that some staff members were offered lower job positions despite clearing interviews.
The crew has also alleged that the key parts of the compensation package have been modified or removed and that the airline management is shutting down the dissenting voices, sources said.
The airline is currently also in the process of merging AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India) with itself.
The crisis at Air India Express comes a month after Tata Group full-service carrier Vistara witnessed cancellations due to pilot woes.
Discontentment had simmered among pilots at Vistara, which is in the process of getting merged with Air India, following the new contracts wherein there were concerns on rosters for pilots operating flights and a component of their salary packages.
