New Delhi: Tata Group’s Air India Express on Wednesday laid off around 30 employees who had declared themselves on “sick leave” and canceled more than 90 flights.
“The vast majority of other flight attendants also felt unwell and did not report for duty. This clearly indicates a planned and coordinated strike without a valid reason. As a result, numerous flights had to be canceled.” The latest letter states that this disrupted the entire program and caused significant inconvenience to the valued passengers.
“Their actions have not only damaged the public interest, but have also resulted in embarrassment, significant reputational damage and significant financial loss to the company. This represents a concerted action in which it is widely believed that the company “was intended to disrupt flights and disrupt services.” This company will not operate.
The airline has also given an ultimatum to the striking flight attendants to report to work by 4 pm on Thursday, PTI reported citing sources. Meanwhile, this airline canceled around 75 flights on Thursday.
The Air India Express crisis comes at a critical time as the merger process with AIX Connect (formerly Air Asia India) is underway. The uproar has complicated the merger as flight attendants continue to protest what they say are unfair working conditions.
The sudden stoppage of work caused chaos on the construction site. As Air India Express, Delhi airport canceled its flights to Goa, Guwahati and Srinagar at the last minute.
The announcement caused confusion and despair among affected passengers. They gathered around the airline counters, visibly upset, demanding an explanation. Passengers were seen in front of the Air India Express counters. Immediately after the disruption, the airline urged passengers departing on Wednesday to “check whether their flight is affected” before heading to the airport.
“The situation is uncertain as a senior flight attendant feels unwell at the last minute before the flight. We are actively canceling flights until next Monday, but the actual number depends on crew availability.” An airline official said: International flights account for 20 percent of cancellations.
“While we work with our teams to understand the cause of these incidents, our team is working to minimize inconvenience to our customers,” a spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
An Air India Express spokesperson said passengers affected by the flight cancellations would be given the option of a refund or rebooking at no additional cost.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.