Over 80 Air India Express flights cancelled as crew goes on “Mass Sick Leave”

Guwahati, May 8: Air India Express has halted more than 80 flights starting May 7 as over 200 cabin crew members have reported sick in protest against the airline’s HR practices amid allegations of mismanagement within the Tata Group-owned company.

Dissatisfaction has been growing among some cabin crew members for a while, particularly following the merger of AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India) with Air India Express.

The airline stated on May 8 that a section of its cabin crew suddenly reported sick, leading to flight disruptions, and they are actively working to understand the causes and minimise inconvenience to passengers.

The low-cost carrier  also announced that affected passengers will be given full refunds or the option to reschedule their flights for free.

According to reports, on Wednesday, numerous cabin crew members began calling in sick since Monday evening, resulting in the cancellation of many flights across different airports. Moreover, the Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU), representing about 300 cabin crew members, mostly seniors, has also accused the company of mismanagement, which they claim has negatively impacted employee morale.  

Meanwhile, angry passengers protested at airports on Wednesday after the cancellation of flights. Videos of furious passengers gathered at Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram airports have gone viral on social media.