Tata group-owned Air India Express canceled over 80 flights on Wednesday after nearly 100 cabin crew members reported sick and protested against the airline’s human resource practices. The CEO, Aloke Singh, expressed willingness to discuss the issues with the crew and announced that the airline would curtail flights for the next few days to minimize disruption. The airline operates approximately 360 flights per day.

The civil aviation ministry has sought a report from Air India Express regarding the mass sick leave by the cabin crew. Meanwhile, Delhi’s regional labor commissioner, Ashok Perumalla, has urged the company to address the concerns raised by the protesting staff.

A spokesperson for Air India Express stated that the airline is engaging with the cabin crew to understand the reasons behind the sick leave and protests.

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and members of the general public complained about their flights being canceled without any prior intimation. Air India Express assured that the affected passengers would be rebooked on Air India flights.

Cabin crew members revealed that their salaries have been reduced by nearly 20% due to the merger of Air India Express with AirAsia India.

The president of Air India Express Employees Union, KK Vijaykumar, informed that multiple allowances have been eliminated, and the union has written to the regional labor commissioner and Tata Sons chairman expressing concerns about mismanagement and unequal treatment of staff.

The regional labor commissioner of Delhi, Ashok Perumalla, criticized the management for not attending the reconciliation proceedings and accused the HR department of providing misleading information and misinterpreting legal provisions. He has urged Air India Express to establish a committee to rectify the situation.

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