Air India Express cancelled two flights scheduled for May 9 (Thursday) from Kochi as the cabin crew strength did not appear to have returned to normal after they called in sick en masse on Wednesday. A flight scheduled for Muscat at 8.50 a.m. and one to Kolkata at 3 p.m. were cancelled. Reports indicated that passengers were given refunds or promised ticket arrangements for a day of their choice.
A spokesman for the airline operator said: “Air India Express is making every possible effort to minimise the inconvenience caused to our guests by this unexpected situation.” The statement said 283 flights would be operated on Thursday (across India), and that Air India would support by operating on 20 of the routes. “However, 85 of our flights are cancelled, and we urge our guests booked to fly with us to check if their flight is affected by the disruption before heading to the airport. If their flight is cancelled, or delayed beyond three hours, they may opt for a full refund or reschedule to a later date without any fees on WhatsApp (+916360012345) or on airindiaexpress.com,” a statement from the airline said.
“While we will continue to engage with our cabin crew colleagues with a commitment to address any concern, we are taking appropriate steps against certain individuals as their actions have caused grave inconvenience to thousands of our guests,” it added.
