Now Reading: Air India Express sacks 25 crew after mass sick leave
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Air India Express sacks 25 crew after mass sick leave
Air India Express has terminated at least 25 cabin crew members after hundreds of employees called in sick, disrupting more than 95 flights and affecting over 10,000 passengers between Tuesday evening and…
Air India Express has terminated at least 25 cabin crew members after hundreds of employees called in sick, disrupting more than 95 flights and affecting over 10,000 passengers between Tuesday evening and Wednesday. The airline described the mass sick leave as a pre-meditated and concerted abstention from work without justifiable reason, violating employee service rules.
CEO Aloke Singh said the behaviour of a few does not represent the dedication of the majority of the 2,000-odd cabin crew. He invited staff for discussions and assured all communication channels are open. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has sought a detailed report from the airline and urged it to resolve issues and ensure passenger facilities as per DGCA norms.
Singh announced plans to curtail flight operations in the coming days. Those bound for the UAE were also affected, leaving hundreds of expats stranded.
Indian Opinion Analysis
This is not the first industrial action at an Indian airline. In 2019, SpiceJet faced similar disruption when crew called in sick over pay issues. Under the DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements, airlines must provide accommodation, meals and alternative flights to stranded passengers, or face fines. Air India Express, the low-cost arm of Air India, operates a majority of its flights to Gulf destinations including the UAE, carrying lakhs of expat workers annually. With over 90 flights cancelled in two days, the compensation bill could run into crores. The ministry's detailed report, expected in the coming days, will likely examine whether the airline violated passenger rights. The next step is the airline's meeting with crew, and whether the sackings escalate or resolve the dispute.
Source: khaleejtimes.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
