With no resolution in sight for the “mass leave” crisis being faced by the airline, Air India Express CEO Aloke Singh has written to employees and said that the number of flights being operated will be reduced over the next few days.
Since Tuesday night, the airline has had to cancel over 90 flights after 300 senior cabin crew members reported sick at the last minute and then switched off their cellphones. Hundreds of passengers were left stranded.
The Air India Express Employees Union also wrote to the management and “highlighted a stark departure from commitments”
In his letter, Mr Singh said over 100 cabin crew members had reported sick, severely disrupting operations, and that the impact was “disproportionate” because the action was taken by senior employees.
“The disruptions have cascaded across the network, forcing us to curtail the schedules over the next few days. We had to do this to cope with the non-availability of crew and to recover schedules. This act is certainly not representative of the 2,000-odd cabin crew colleagues in the company who continue to respond to the call of duty and serve our guests with dedication and pride. I am thankful to all who are standing by the airline in this hour of crisis,” the CEO wrote.
Expressing his gratitude to employees from other departments that have pitched in to assist in the operations sphere, Mr Singh said the management is available to address concerns at both group and individual levels.
“We are on a journey towards growth and transformation, which will make us one the largest airlines in the region. Enough professional growth opportunities are there for all… Hope to see things get resolved soon,” he wrote.