Air India Flight Chaos: 86 Flights Cancelled as Crew Stage Mass Sick Leave

GUWAHATI: At least 86 Air India Express flights were canceled because a large number of cabin crew members called in sick suddenly and turned off their phones. This caused disruptions to both international and domestic flights.

The crew members are reportedly protesting against new employment terms at the airline, which is now owned by the Tata Group. The airline management is working to contact the protesting crew members.

"Our cabin crew called in sick unexpectedly, starting last night, causing delays and flight cancellations. We're talking to the crew to find out why this is happening and our teams are working hard to reduce any inconvenience to our passengers," said a spokesperson for Air India Express.

"We're sorry for the unexpected disruption and want to assure our guests that this is not the level of service we aim to deliver," the spokesperson added.

The airline said that passengers affected by the cancellations would be given a choice of a full refund or the option to reschedule their flights for another date at no extra cost.

Many passengers expressed their frustration on social media, stating that they were not informed about the cancellations beforehand.

Sources say that Air India Express crew members, a subsidiary of Air India, have complained about unequal treatment since the merger with the Tata Group. They allege that some staff were offered lower positions despite passing their interviews.

The crew has also claimed that important parts of their compensation package have been changed or taken away, and that the airline is silencing those who speak out against these changes. Additionally, the airline is in the process of merging AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India) into its operations.

The issues at Air India Express come just a month after Vistara, another airline owned by the Tata Group, faced cancellations because of problems with their pilots.

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