In the wake of a widespread sick leave among cabin crew members, Air India Express reportedly terminated the employment of roughly 30 staff who didn’t report for duty on Wednesday. The protesting cabin crew members cited illness, resulting in over 90 flight cancellations and delays, leaving numerous passengers stranded at various airports since Tuesday night.

The termination letter from Air India Express accused the sick leave of being a collective effort to disrupt services, violating both laws and the airline’s service rules.

Responding to the terminations, the Chief Labour Commissioner scheduled a meeting with the Air India Express union and CEO on Thursday. Meanwhile, an Air India Express spokesperson assured efforts to minimize passenger inconvenience, with 283 flights operational and support from Air India. However, 85 flights remained canceled, prompting affected passengers to verify their flight status before heading to the airport.

Air India Express CEO Aloke Singh announced flight reductions due to crew shortages, emphasizing the disruption caused by over 100 cabin crew members falling ill before their scheduled flights.

The civil aviation ministry requested a report from Air India Express on flight cancellations, urging swift issue resolution and adherence to passenger facilities per DGCA norms. The airline, undergoing a merger with AIX Connect and Vistara, faced allegations of mismanagement and unequal treatment of staff by the Air India Express Employees Union.

This development follows pilot issues at Vistara, leading to a temporary capacity reduction. As Tata Group consolidates its airline business, merging Air India Express and AIX Connect, passengers expressed frustration on social media over Air India Express flight cancellations.

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