Air India Express To Reduce Flights Due To Cabin Crew Disruptions, CEO Announces

Air India Express CEO Aloke Singh shared a message on Wednesday that the airline will be reducing flights over the next few days due to a significant number of cabin crew reporting sick just before their scheduled duties.

This disruption has resulted in the cancellation of over 90 flights, affecting operations across the network. Singh emphasized that this behaviour is not reflective of the airline's cabin crew, who continue to serve with dedication.

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Flight Disruptions: Cabin Crew Sick Reports Cause Cancellations

In a statement, it was mentioned by the CEO that since last evening, over 100 cabin crew colleagues have reported sick just before their scheduled flight duties, severely disrupting operations. The impact was disproportionate as most of these colleagues held L1 roles, resulting in the disruption of over 90 flights, despite other colleagues reporting for duty.

The disruptions have cascaded across the network, necessitating the curtailment of schedules over the next few days to manage crew shortages and recover operations. This behaviour does not represent the majority of the company's 2,000+ cabin crew colleagues, who continue to fulfil their duty and serve guests with dedication and pride. Gratitude was expressed by the CEO to those supporting the airline during this challenging time.

Stakeholders were assured by Singh of open communication channels and invited to engage in dialogue to address concerns. The airline's evolution and ambitious growth plans were emphasized by Singh, underlining the dedication of senior cabin crew.

"It was stated by Singh that if concerns need to be addressed, the company leadership is available for discussions. All communication channels remain open, including departmental town halls (one of which is pre-scheduled for tomorrow), monthly all-hands town halls, and formal and informal outreach to leaders," he said.

"In particular, senior cabin crew colleagues, who have witnessed the airline's evolution from a small, niche operator to what it is today - a rapidly growing carrier with over 350 flights per day and a strong network footprint across India, the Gulf, and Southeast Asia - have a deeper stake in helping to build and achieve the vision set for ourselves," he added.