Air India Express Cancels Over 80 Flights As Cabin Crew Reports Sick

Air India Express, owned by the Tata group, announced on Wednesday that it has cancelled several flights due to a shortage of cabin crew as some of them have reported sick.

Sources revealed that the airline had to cancel more than 80 flights since last night as over 200 cabin crew called in sick, expressing their discontent with the airline's HR practices. Air India Express operates approximately 360 flights daily.

"A section of our cabin crew reported sick at the last minute, starting last night, leading to flight delays and cancellations. While we are in discussions with the crew to understand the reasons behind these incidents, our teams are actively working to address this issue and minimise any inconvenience caused to our passengers," said a spokesperson for the airline.

Affected passengers will be provided with a full refund or the option to reschedule their flights without any additional charges.

A union representing the airline, with more than 300 cabin crew as its members, had previously voiced concerns about mismanagement and unequal treatment of staff within the airline.

In a letter addressed to N Chandrasekaran, chairman of the Tata group in April, it was mentioned that several allowances, including House Rent Allowance (HRA), which were part of the compensation before the merger, have been withdrawn. Despite the airline consistently making profits, this has led to substantial salary cuts, the letter added.

"There is a clear disparity in how employees are treated. Salaries, experience and qualifications are being overlooked and external candidates are being preferred over qualified internal candidates for internal job postings," stated the letter.