Air India Express terminated on Wednesday the contract of some senior cabin crew members who “reported sick” a day ago, even as the carrier continued to reel from flight cancellations 24 hours since the crisis began and said in a fresh statement that it was making efforts to mitigate the situation.
While there is no immediate clarification on the number of employees served the termination notice by the airlines, news agency PTI reported that at least 25 senior crew members were terminated from the service. However, other publications have mentioned that the number of employees laid off might go up to as many as 30.
In a letter of termination sent to one of its employees, the airline stated that an overwhelming number of airline crew members reported to be sick at the eleventh hour. “This clearly points to a pre-meditated and concerted abstention from work without any justifiable reason,” the letter read.
According to CNBC, Air India Express further stated that the action of crew members resulted in the cancellation of a large number of flights, affecting the airline’s schedule and causing inconvenience to passengers. Hence, it terminated the contracts of the concerned employees with immediate effect.
In the termination letter to its employees, the company added, “Your act is not only subversive of public interest, but has also caused embarrassment, severe reputational damage and serious monetary loss to the company.”
Air India Express To Operate 292 Flights Today
Amid the ongoing disruptions in Air India Express’ flight operations, the airline’s spokesperson informed that the carrier will operate 292 flights on Thursday with the help of Air India, however, 74 flights of the company stands cancelled.
“Air India Express is making every possible effort to minimise the inconvenience caused to our guests by this unexpected situation. We will be operating 292 flights today. We have mobilised all resources and Air India will support us by operating on 20 of our routes,” the spokesperson said.
“However, 74 of our flights stand cancelled and we urge our guests booked to fly with us to check if their flight is affected by the disruption before heading to the airport. If their flight is cancelled, 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 on airindiaexpress.com,” he added.
Over 100 Employees Reported Sick Last Minute
Issuing a statement on the cancellation of over 90 flights, Air India Express CEO Aloke Singh on Wednesday announced that the airline will be reducing flights over the next few days due to a significant number of cabin crew reporting sick just before their scheduled duties.
“Over 100 of our cabin crew colleagues have reported sick prior to their rostered flight duty, at the last minute, severely disrupting our operations. Because this action was mostly by colleagues assigned L1 role, the impact was disproportionate, disrupting 90+ flights even though other colleagues reported for duty,” the CEO said in a 350-word statement.
Singh further assured stakeholders of open communication channels and invited dialogue to address concerns.
Aviation Ministry Seeks Report
Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Ministry on Wednesday sought a report on the cancellations of flights and asked the airlines to ensure facilities for passengers as per the norms laid down by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
In addition to this, the ministry asked the carrier, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India, to resolve the issue “promptly”.
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