Why did Air India Express cancel flights? Aviation ministry wants report, ET TravelWorld

The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Wednesday called for a report from Air India Express regarding cancellation of flights and asked them to resolve issues promptly.

Also, the airline has been advised to ensure facilities to passengers as per Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) norms.

Air India Express, the low-cost carrier owned by Tata Group, today cancelled several flights. The cancellations are reportedly due to a protest by some cabin crew members against alleged ‘mismanagement at the airline’. As per a PTI report, the discontent among the cabin crew has been growing, especially since the beginning of the merger process with AIX Connect, formerly known as AirAsia India.

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The airline issued a statement acknowledging the issue: “A section of our cabin crew has reported sick at the last minute, starting last night, resulting in flight delays and cancellations. While we are engaging with the crew to understand the reasons behind these occurrences, our teams are actively addressing this issue to minimise any inconvenience caused to our guests as a result. We sincerely apologise to our guests for this unexpected disruption and emphasise that this situation does not reflect the standard of service we strive to provide.”

Passengers expressed frustration on social media over the sudden flight cancellations. In response to a passenger’s post about a cancelled flight, Air India Express apologized and cited “operational reasons” for the cancellation.

Late last month, a union representing a section of the Air India Express cabin crew alleged that the airline is being mismanaged and there is a lack of equality in the treatment of the staff.

Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU), a registered union, which claims to represent around 300 cabin crew members, mostly seniors, had also alleged that mismanagement of the affairs has affected the morale of the employees.

As part of consolidating its airline business, Tata Group is merging Air India Express and AIX Connect, as well as Vistara with Air India. However, the mergers have been met with resistance from employees who allege mismanagement and inequality in the treatment of staff.