Air India Express offers full refund, rescheduling after crew's 'mass sick leave' leaves passengers stranded
Air India Express cancelled over 80 international and domestic flights due to a significant number of senior crew members taking mass sick leave. Passengers affected by the cancellations will receive refunds or complimentary rescheduling, according to the airline's spokesperson.
FollowAir India Express has canceled over 80 international and domestic flights from Tuesday (May 7)night until Wednesday morning due to a significant number of senior crew members taking a "mass sick leave," as reported by the airline's spokesperson.
"While we are engaging with the crew to understand the reasons behind these occurrences, our teams are actively addressing this issue to minimise any inconvenience caused to our guests as a result," an Air India Express spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The spokesperson stated that guests affected by the cancellations would be refunded or offered complimentary rescheduling.
"Guests impacted by cancellations will be offered a full refund or complimentary rescheduling to another date. Guests flying with us today are requested to check if their flight is affected, before heading to the airport," the spokesperson added.
At the same time, the airlines apologised by saying, "We sincerely apologise to our guests for this unexpected disruption and emphasise that this situation does not reflect the standard of service we strive to provide."
Several Air India Express flights at Kerala's Calicut International Airport have been canceled due to a sudden strike by employees, resulting in the cancellation of 12 services so far on Wednesday (May 08). Air India Express has stated that affected passengers have the option to reschedule their flights or receive a refund. Flights have been affected to various destinations, including Ras Al Khaimah, Dubai, Jeddah, Doha, Bahrain, and Kuwait. Earlier cancellations also impacted Muscat flights from Thiruvananthapuram, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, as well as Sharjah Muscat flights from Nedumbassery.
In January 2022, Air India Express, along with Air India, was acquired by the Tata Group through a government-led strategic divestment program. Currently, the airline is undergoing an integration process with AIX Connect, previously known as AirAsia India.
