Air India Express Crisis: Labor Commissioner Criticizes Tatas, Accuses Air India Express of Mismanagement

Sources at Air India Express stated that the airline does not recognize any workers’ union. On Tuesday night, 300 senior cabin crew members of Air India Express reported sick at the last minute and switched off their cellphones, resulting in over 90 flight cancellations and leaving many passengers stranded.

The Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU) wrote to the management, expressing concern over a departure from commitments following the takeover of the government-run airline by the TATA group in January 2022. According to sources from Air India Express, the airline does not recognize AIXEU or any other workers’ union as legitimate.

Mr. Perumulla, representing the union, stated that the management of Air India Express has not sent any responsible decision-makers to the conciliation proceedings and called for corrective measures to be taken. The current dispute revolves around a new merit-based assessment system for employees, with the AIXEU accusing the airline of mismanagement and unequal staff treatment.

In response to the disruptions caused by the sick-out, a spokesperson for Air India Express issued a statement apologizing to the impacted guests and emphasizing that the situation does not reflect the standard of service the airline strives to provide. They assured that guests affected by the cancellations would be offered a full refund or complimentary rescheduling to another date.

While engaging with the crew to understand the reasons behind the disruptions, the airline’s teams are actively addressing the issue to minimize any inconvenience to the guests.