Air India Express Cancelled More Than 70 Flights!

Indian airline Air India Express cancelled more than 70 flights since Tuesday, May 7 after the cabin crew called in sick en masse. 

Air India Express cancels 70 flights as cabin crew reports mass sick leave, leading to delays & disruptions. Passengers offered refunds or rescheduling

Social media flooded with complaints about sudden cancellations. The union claims mismanagement by TATA Group, allegedly… pic.twitter.com/AaZxa6nSy5

— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) May 8, 2024

However, reports say that the cabin crew for the airline is holding a strike over pay and promotions. 

As a result of the flight cancellations, several travellers found themselves stranded on Wednesday, May 8 which led to commotion between passengers and the ground staff at Indian airports. 

The affected Air India Express international services included flights to Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dammam and Muscat.

More than 300 senior cabin crew called in sick, according to the airline officials. 

The cancellations and delays started late on Tuesday, May 7 and many crew members were incommunicado.

Air India Express is merging with AIX Connect, which left many staff members of the former dissatisfied with the changes resulting from the merger. 

The issues in dispute were a merit-based system of promotion, lack of equality in the treatment of employees, lower positions offered to employees, and salary cuts.

Employees had sent a letter in April to the chairman of Air India Natarajan Chandrasekaran, but it is unknown if their grievances were addressed.  

The airline advised passengers to check their flight status before going to the airport on Wednesday, May 8. 

#ImportantUpdate

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… pic.twitter.com/JySbD3trb0

— Air India Express (@AirIndiaX) May 8, 2024

This article was previously published on UAE Moments. To see the original article, click here