A day after hundreds of workers reported sick, Air India Express fired at least 25 cabin crew members, severely disrupting flight operations. According to insider information, cabin crew members who took sick days between Tuesday and Wednesday were fired by the airline management on Wednesday for engaging in “unprofessional behavior.”
According to sources, the widespread sick leave was viewed as a planned, coordinated, and unjustifiable absence from work that violated Air India Express Limited’s employee service policies. Citing health concerns, a few senior crew members are reported to have turned off their cell phones shortly before takeoff.
Over 10,000 passengers were impacted by the disruption of over 95 Air India Express flights due to the widespread sick leave between Tuesday evening and Wednesday. Hundreds of foreigners were left stranded due to the disruption to those traveling to the UAE. Aloke Singh, the airline’s CEO, declared intentions to scale back flight operations in the upcoming days while the company continues to deal with the fallout.
Since Tuesday night, more than 100 cabin crew members have abruptly reported sick before their scheduled flight duty, which has seriously disrupted operations, according to Singh. Even though other colleagues reported for duty, the impact of this action was disproportionate because it was primarily carried out by colleagues assigned to the L1 role, disrupting over 90 flights. He emphasized that most of the airline’s cabin crew is not as dedicated as some of them.
Also Read:
At ATM 2024, Experts Stress the Importance of Innovation
Sharjah Welcomes 1.5 Million Hotel Guests, an 11% Increase in Tourism
