Air India Express has terminated the employment of 25 of its crew members following a protest against the merger with AirAsia India. The protest, which saw crew members calling in sick, led to disruptions with the cancellation of 74 flights on Thursday alone.
Since Wednesday, a total of 160 flights have been canceled, causing inconvenience to thousands of passengers.
Responding to the disruptions, Air India Express issued a statement expressing its efforts to minimize inconvenience to passengers. The airline operated 283 flights on Thursday and received support from Air India to operate on 20 routes. However, 85 flights had to be canceled due to the ongoing disruptions.
Passengers affected by flight cancellations or delays beyond three hours are offered full refunds or the option to reschedule without any additional fees.
Despite these efforts, the airline emphasized its commitment to address concerns raised by cabin crew members while taking appropriate action against those deemed responsible for the disruptions.
The termination letters issued to the crew members emphasized their last-minute sick leave notifications, coinciding with a significant number of other crew members reporting sick simultaneously. The airline labeled this as a premeditated and concerted action, causing severe disruptions to flight schedules and financial losses.
Air India Express emphasized that such actions constitute a violation of employment contracts and disrupt the company’s services, affecting public interest and tarnishing its reputation. The airline is actively engaging with cabin crew members to understand the reasons behind the protest and address any grievances.
CEO Aloke Singh clarified that the protest involved about 100 staff members and disproportionately impacted more than 90 flights, despite the majority of colleagues reporting for duty as usual. Singh stressed that the protest does not represent the dedication and pride exhibited by the majority of the airline’s 2,000-plus cabin crew members.
Air India Express, operating over 2,500 weekly flights across domestic and international airports, has faced significant disruptions due to the protest. The majority of the 327 cabin crew members who reported sick are senior staff, raising concerns about potential job losses amidst the merger process.
The government has intervened, seeking a report from the airline and urging prompt resolution of the issues to minimize inconvenience to passengers. The protest underscores broader concerns within the aviation industry, with similar disruptions witnessed in other airlines due to crew unavailability and operational challenges.
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