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, leading to over 90 flights being cancelled and many passengers being left stranded. The Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU) wrote to the management and “highlighted a stark departure from commitments.” The TATA group had taken over the government-run airline in January 2022.

Sources from Air India Express told NDTV that it does not recognize AIXEU or any other workers’ union as legitimate. Mr. Perumulla from the AIXEU stated that the concerns of the Union are genuine and called for corrective measures to be taken. The current dispute stems from a new merit-based assessment system for employees. The AIXEU has also accused the airline of mismanagement and a lack of equality in staff treatment.

The airline spokesperson apologized to the guests for the disruption and emphasized that the situation does not reflect the standard of service they strive to provide. Guests impacted by cancellations will be offered a full refund or complimentary rescheduling to another date.