Air India Express faced disruptions on Wednesday as the airline grappled with issues in its crew rostering system, according to reports. The Tata Group-owned carrier, known for operating approximately 380 flights daily, recently transitioned to a new rostering system. However, technical glitches in the system are affecting the scheduling of cabin crew and pilots, the reports revealed.
At Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport, seven Air India Express flights—comprising four departures and three arrivals—scheduled between 1:50 am and 8:00 pm on Wednesday were reportedly cancelled, as per the sources. Similar flight cancellations were reported at a few other airports, although the exact tally of affected flights remained uncertain.
While Air India Express has yet to comment on the situation, this development follows closely on the heels of disruptions experienced by the airline just a week prior. During that period, a portion of cabin crew members called in sick, protesting against alleged mismanagement within the carrier. The strike, which commenced on 9 May, was subsequently called off, and the protesting crew returned to duty by 11 May.
Contrary to the recent cancellations, on Tuesday, an official statement indicated that the airline operated approximately 345 flights without any cancellations. However, the situation took a different turn on 8 May when the strike was initially called off, and Air India Express rescinded termination letters issued to 25 cabin crew members following a conciliation meeting convened by the chief labour commissioner in New Delhi.
In a release dated 12 May, the Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU) confirmed that all cabin crew members who had reported sick had resumed duty by 11 May, 2024. Nevertheless, the scheduling software's glitch, resulting from its recent implementation, continued to register staff as sick despite their return to work, the union noted.
As Air India Express navigates through these operational challenges, passengers are advised to stay updated on flight statuses and check with the airline for any potential disruptions or changes to their travel plans.
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