86 Air India Express Flights Cancelled Ass Crew Goes on Mass Sick Leave
Air India Express fired 30 cabin crew members after 300 employees called in sick and refused to work
The ongoing meeting between the employees' union, the labor commissioner, and the management has extended beyond two hours now. The union has said that the crew won't return to work until their sacked colleagues are reinstated. The Civil Aviation Ministry is closely monitoring the proceedings.
The crew has been protesting against the new employment terms, alleging a lack of equality in the treatment of staff. They claimed that some staff members have been offered lower job roles despite clearing interviews for senior positions. The crew has also raised concerns about modifications in their compensation package. These developments are taking place even as the airline is in the middle of a merger with AIX Connect.
The Air India Express crisis is fresh trouble for the Tata group, barely a month after its full-service carrier Vistara witnessed disruptions due to protests by pilots over a host of issues, including their rostering for flights and changes in their pay packages.
Air India Express has stated that it is doing everything possible to minimize the inconvenience caused to its guests.
The airline has mobilized all its resources, and Air India will support it by operating on 20 of its routes. However, 85 of its flights stand canceled, and guests are urged to check if their flight is affected before heading to the airport. If their flight is canceled or delayed beyond 3 hours, they may opt for a full refund or reschedule to a later date without any fees on Tia on WhatsApp (+91 6360012345) or airindiaexpress.com.
In a statement, the airline said, "While we will continue to engage with our cabin crew colleagues with a commitment to address any concern, we are taking appropriate steps against certain individuals as their actions have caused grave inconvenience to thousands of our guests."
The termination letter issued to the 30-odd crew members states that the mass leave "clearly points to a pre-meditated and concerted abstention from work without any justifiable reason."
Photogallery
