Air India Express faced disruptions on Wednesday as the airline cancelled several flights amid challenges with its crew rostering system, according to insider sources. The Tata Group-owned carrier, known for its approximately 380 daily flights, recently transitioned to a new rostering system. However, teething issues with the system have caused scheduling challenges for cabin crew and pilots, the sources revealed.
Flight disruptions
At Delhi airport alone, seven Air India Express flights—comprising four departures and three arrivals—scheduled between 1:50 am and 8 pm on Wednesday were cancelled. Similar cancellations were reported at other airports, though the exact number was not immediately available.
Airline response and past incidents
Air India Express has yet to state the flight cancellations. This development follows disruptions experienced last week when a segment of cabin crew protested alleged mismanagement, resulting in sick reports. The strike, which concluded on May 9, saw the return of striking crew to duty by May 11.
Previous actions
Despite the recent disruptions, the airline operated approximately 345 flights on Tuesday without any cancellations. The strike, initially called off on May 8, led to the rescinding of termination letters issued to 25 cabin crew members after a conciliation meeting overseen by the chief labour commissioner in New Delhi. Representatives from the airline and the Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU) attended the meeting.
Union statement
In a statement released on May 12, the AIXEU clarified that all previously sick-reporting cabin crew had resumed duty by May 11. However, a software glitch in the company's scheduling system, which was recently introduced, continued to erroneously reflect staff as absent.
Ongoing situation
Despite the challenges posed by the rostering system issues, Air India Express remains operational, addressing concerns and navigating through the disruptions caused by the recent developments.
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