Air India Express flights from Kochi and Kannur cancelled; probable reason for employee strike

Kochi: Hundreds of passengers were left stranded after Air India Express canceled its flights from Kochi and Kannur on Wednesday due to a flurry caused by its employees. While three flights from Kannur were cancelled, four services from Kochi airport were disrupted. A flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai was also canceled on Tuesday evening.

Air India Express said the flights were delayed due to operational issues. According to reports, the crush of Air India Express employees led to the cancellation.

The canceled services from Kochi include flights which were scheduled to depart from Kochi at 2:05 am, 8:00 am, 8:35 am and 8:55 am Sharjah, Muscat, Damam and Muscat respectively. Flights to Kochi airport from Sharjah, Muscat and Bahrain have also been cancelled. In Kannur, flights to Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Muscat were cancelled.

“Most of the passengers on the Thiruvananthapuram-Chennai flight scheduled for last night were informed about the cancellation only after check-in. The authorities first informed us that the flight had been delayed. Then they canceled it without any warning. Passengers protested at the boarding gate following the cancellation of the 10:40 p.m. flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai,” a passenger informed Manorama News.

The authorities have not yet organized alternative transport for passengers. Although they have assured a refund to passengers, the portal to avail the facility is currently not operational.