Air India Express cancels 70 flights as crews go on mass sick leave

By Sneha Kundu

More than 70 Air India Express flights, both domestic and international, were canceled from Tuesday (7th May) night to Wednesday (8th May) morning, leaving many passengers stranded and frustrated. The sudden cancellations came as a result of a significant number of cabin crew members reporting sick at the last minute.

The airline has acknowledged the situation and urged passengers flying with them on Wednesday to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport. According to Air India Express, this unexpected disruption is due to a section of their cabin crew reporting sick, which has led to flight delays and cancellations.

Sources within the aviation industry have suggested that senior crew members of the airline took “mass sick leave,” resulting in the cancellation of both international and domestic flights. Some reports indicate that discontent among the cabin crew has been brewing for some time, particularly since the beginning of the merger proceedings of Air India Express (AIX) Connect, formerly AirAsia India, with Air India Express.

In April, the Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU), which claims to represent around 300 cabin crew members, mostly seniors, alleged mismanagement within the airline and unequal treatment of staff.

In response to the situation, Air India Express issued a statement, saying, “A section of our cabin crew has reported sick at the last minute, starting last night, resulting in flight delays and cancellations. While we are engaging with the crew to understand the reasons behind these occurrences, our teams are actively addressing this issue to minimize any inconvenience caused to our guests as a result. We sincerely apologize to our guests for this unexpected disruption and emphasize that this situation does not reflect the standard of service we strive to provide.”

Passengers affected by the cancellations have been assured that they will be offered a full refund or complimentary rescheduling to another date. So, if your flight has been canceled, you have options. 

It’s recommended that anyone planning to fly with Air India Express should check the status of their flight before heading to the airport to avoid any inconvenience.