Troubles mounted for Tata Group's Air India Express as it was forced to cancel 74 more flights on Thursday due to a shortage in cabin crew. To minimise disruptions, Air India will operate 20 flights on Air India Express routes, the airline said in a statement. At present Air India Express is operating 292 flights.
The airline has been hit by a major staff crunch after a large part of its crew decided to take 'mass sick leaves'.
"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. 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," the airline said in a statement.
If a passenger's flight is cancelled or delayed more than three hours, the airline has assured that passengers will be given the option to either receive a full refund or reschedule their flight for a later date without incurring any fees.
The total of 74 cancelled flights represents approximately 20 per cent of the airline's usual daily flight schedule. Given these developments, Air India Express has stated that it is taking appropriate actions regarding certain individuals.
"While we will continue to engage with our cabin crew colleagues with a commitment to address any concern, we are taking appropriate steps against certain individuals as their actions have caused grave inconvenience to thousands of our guests," it added.
An Air India Express Spokesperson said, “Air India Express is making every possible effort to minimise the inconvenience caused to our guests by this unexpected situation. We will be operating 283 flights today. We have mobilised all resources and Air India will support us by operating on 20 of our routes. However, 85 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 http://airindiaexpress.com."
On May 8, the airline cancelled over 100 flights due to staff crunch. Earlier today, PTI sources revealed that the airline has sent termination notices to 25 cabin crew members who had called in sick for the inconvenience caused to flyers booked with the airline. Additionally, others were instructed to return to duty by 4 pm on Thursday.