At least 86 Air India Express flights were canceled after around 300 senior cabin crew members went on a “mass sick leave,” according to official sources on Wednesday. The affected flights included both international and domestic routes. The sudden sick calls began last night, with crew members turning off their mobile phones, in protest against new employment terms introduced by Tata Group, the airline’s owner.
The airline’s management is making efforts to communicate with the protesting crew. An Air India Express spokesperson stated, “A section of our cabin crew has reported sick at the last minute, starting last night, resulting in flight delays and cancellations. We are engaging with the crew to understand the reasons behind these occurrences while our teams work diligently to minimize inconvenience to our guests.”
The spokesperson also apologized to passengers, emphasizing that the disruption does not reflect the airline’s service standards. Impacted passengers will be offered a full refund or complimentary rescheduling.
The protest stems from dissatisfaction among crew members following the airline’s merger activities. They have raised concerns about unequal treatment, changes to compensation packages, and suppression of dissent within the company. This internal conflict comes amid the broader integration of AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India) with Air India Express.
This incident follows a similar issue at Vistara, another Tata Group airline, where pilots expressed discontent over contract changes affecting their rosters and salary components.