Air India Express has cancelled more than 80 flights and scores of flights have been delayed as a section of cabin crew members have reported sick to protest against certain policies of the airline management. An Air India Express spokesperson said, the airline is engaging with the cabin crew members to understand the reasons for reporting sick and also apologised for the flight disruptions. Several Air India Express flight services from the four international airports in Kerala have been disrupted since last night, as many cabin crew employees of the carrier have collectively taken sick leave. At the Cochin International Airport, four international flights and a domestic flight to Bengaluru were cancelled by the airline.
The affected international services include flights to Sharjah, Bahrain, Dammam, and Muscat. Additionally, Air India Express flights from Muscat, Bahrain, and Dammam scheduled for arrival this evening have also been cancelled. Reports said that in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, Air India Express flights bound for Sharjah, Dubai, Muscat, and Abu Dhabi were cancelled. In Kozhikode, flights to Doha, Jeddah, Ras Al Khaimah, Dubai, and Kuwait were disrupted, while in Kannur, flights to Muscat, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi were cancelled.
Passengers were caught off guard and became aware of the flight disruptions only upon their arrival at the respective airports. This unexpected situation has left many passengers in a quandary, with many facing the risk of losing their jobs if they are unable to report for duty on time. The airline has offered to accommodate stranded passengers on other flights operated by it, despite the prevailing uncertainty regarding the resumption of flight operations.
