Return to work or face termination: Air India Express gives crew ultimatum

Air India Express fired 25 cabin crew members and demanded others to either return to work by 4 pm on Thursday or face termination

Air India Express has issued an ultimatum to crew members who reported sick, demanding their return to duty by 4 pm on Thursday or face termination, according to a report by news agency PTI. The Tata Group-owned airline has also terminated 25 cabin crew members following widespread flight cancellations resulting from reported sick leaves.

Termination of Air India Express employees

Reports of termination had already begun circulating on social media the previous evening. An excerpt from the letters shared stated, "Your action of reporting sick for work is viewed as a concerted effort with shared understanding aimed at disrupting flight operations. This contravenes both applicable laws and the Air India Express Limited Employees' Service Rules applicable to you."

More than 100 flights cancelled by Air India Express

Air India Express had cancelled more than 90 flights on Wednesday, due to the unavailability of cabin crew, who took last minute sick leaves.

The disruptions began on Tuesday night and affected more than 90 flights. More than 100 cabin crew members reported sick moments before their rostered flight duties, significantly disrupting operations, Air India Express Chief Executive Aloke Singh said in a statement on Wednesday.

An additional 60 flights were cancelled on Thursday due to the unavailability of cabin crew, exacerbating passenger inconvenience.

With around 1,400 cabin crew, including 500 at senior levels, within its ranks, the airline's operations have been significantly impacted by sudden mass leaves.

Singh underscored the severity of the situation, indicating that the disruptions have reverberated throughout the network, compelling schedule adjustments in the coming days. However, he refrained from providing specifics regarding the schedule alterations.

Air India Express issues apology to passengers

The airline issued a statement on its social media platforms, apologising for the inconvenience caused to passengers.

The airlines advised travellers to check their flight schedules before heading to airports and provided information on how to apply for refunds or reschedule flights.

The airline said, "We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused by unprecedented flight delays and cancellations. While we are working hard to minimise disruptions, please check your flight status before heading to the airport. If your flight is impacted, please reach out to Tia on WhatsApp or http://airindiaexpress.com/support for refund and rescheduling support."

Civil aviation ministry seeks report

Meanwhile, the civil aviation ministry has sought a report from Air India Express on the mass flight cancellations. The ministry also urged the airlines to resolve the manner swiftly and to ensure that all affected passengers were provided proper assistance.

Vistara flight cancellations

These disruptions are the latest setback for an airline operated by Tata Group. Earlier, Vistara Airlines, another Tata Group-owned entity, had to scale back 25-30 flights per day in April due to a pilot shortage.