Air India Express Fires 25 Cabin Crew Members, Day After Mass Sick Leave

Air India Express has sacked at least 25 cabin crew, a day after nearly 300 employees of the airline called in sick and switched off their phones, leading to large-scale flight disruptions. The number of job terminations is likely to increase and the management is likely to hold a townhall meeting with cabin crew members today. A total of 76 flights have been impacted today; this number includes cancellations and flights that may be operated by other group airlines.

The low-cost airline is a subsidiary of Air India that is now owned by the Tata group. Its employees have been protesting against the new employment terms, sources have said. The crew, the sources said, has alleged a lack of equality in the treatment of staff. They have claimed that some staff members have been offered lower job roles despite clearing interviews for senior positions, the sources said. The crew has also flagged some modifications in their compensation package. These developments are taking place even as the airline is in the middle of a merger with AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India).

The Air India crisis is fresh trouble for the Tata group, barely a month after its full-service carrier Vistara witnessed disruptions due to protests by pilots over changes in their pay packages.