Over 70 Air India Express flights canceled as crew go on ‘collective sick leave’

Air India Express management is currently trying to contact the crew (file photo)

Over 70 Air India Express flights were canceled on Wednesday after cabin crew members took “mass sick leave”, official sources said.

As many as 79 international and domestic flights were canceled after around 300 cabin crew called in sick at the last minute and switched off their mobile phones.

Air India Express management is currently trying to contact the crew, who are protesting against the new employment conditions at the Tata group-owned airline, sources said.

“Some of our cabin crew called in sick at the last minute, starting last night, leading to flight delays and cancellations. As we speak with the crew to understand the reasons for these events, our teams are actively addressing this issue to minimize any inconvenience caused to our guests as a result,” said an Air India Express spokesperson.

“We sincerely apologize to our guests for this unexpected disruption and emphasize that this situation does not reflect the level of service we strive to provide,” the spokesperson added.

Customers affected by the cancellations will be offered a full refund or a free reschedule to another date, the airline said.

Several passengers took to their social media accounts and complained about the sudden cancellations of their flights. They said they had “no information” about the cancellations.

Some “very disappointed” X passengers said they arrived at the airport when they were informed their flights had been cancelled.

“We apologize for any inconvenience. Please be informed that your flight has been canceled due to operational reasons,” Air India Express said in response to one of the posts on X.

Last month, a union representing some of Air India Express’ cabin crew claimed the airline was poorly managed and there was a lack of equality in the treatment of staff.

The Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU), a registered union, also claimed that poor business management had affected employee morale.