Air India Express Fires 30 Cabin Crew Members Amid Flight Cancellations: Here's What Sparked The Mass Sick Leave Protest

Air India Express has terminated the employment of 30 cabin crew members following a wave of mass sick leave that led to the cancellation of over 90 flights, causing significant operational disruptions.

The airline characterised this mass absenteeism as a deliberate act to disrupt services, asserting that such actions breached both legal standards and the Air India Express Limited Employees' Service Rules.

Since Tuesday (7 May) night, 300 senior cabin crew members of Air India Express reported sick at the last minute and switched off their cellphones, leading to over 90 flights being cancelled and many passengers being left stranded.

The number of job terminations is likely to increase and the management is likely to hold a townhall meeting with cabin crew members today.

In the termination letter, the airline stated that the cabin crew members reporting sick at "around the same time... clearly points to a premeditated and concerted abstention from work without any justifiable reason."

"Your act of reporting sick for work amounts to a concerted action with a common understanding, to not operate the flight and to disrupt the services of the company. This is not only in violation of the applicable laws but also violates the Air India Express Limited Employees' Service Rules as applicable to you," the airline added.

This decision comes in the wake of deepening unrest among the employees, triggered by discontent over reduced salaries and altered compensation structures following the airline's ongoing merger with AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India).

The salaries of crew members has been slashed by almost 20 per cent owing to the merger. Further, several allowances have been eliminated that were previously part of the crew's compensation, including layover allowances for overnight stays at international destinations.

The Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU), which represents about 300 crew members, has been vocal about these issues.

The union has pointed out that the changes represent a significant shift from the assurances given during Tata's acquisition of the airline.

They have raised concerns about a lack of equality in treatment, with allegations that internal job postings are being unfairly filled by candidates external to Air India Express, sidelining experienced and qualified internal employees.

In response to the crisis, Air India Express CEO Aloke Singh has stated his openness to dialogue, aiming to understand and address the crew's grievances.

He acknowledged the operational challenges and announced plans to curtail flights in the immediate future to manage the disruption more effectively.

Further complicating matters, the Regional Labour Commissioner in Delhi, Ashok Perumalla, had earlier criticised the airline's handling of the situation.

He accused the management of misleading the conciliation officer with incorrect information and flagrant violations of labor laws.

Perumalla recommended the establishment of a high-level committee to examine the employees' grievances and to oversee reforms in the airline's human resources practices.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has also stepped in, demanding a detailed report from Air India Express about the flight cancellations and emphasising the need to ensure that passenger facilities meet the standards set by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

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