After two and a half days of flight disruptions, an impasse at Air India Express has finally reached a resolution. Following a lengthy conciliation session held yesterday at the Office of the Chief Labour Commissioner in New Delhi, both airline management and representatives of the Cabin Crew Union have come to a middle ground, bringing relief to hundreds of affected flyers.
The breakthrough agreement includes the reinstatement of all 25 cabin crew members who were terminated for participating in a protest by reporting sick. Additionally, the union has agreed that all cabin crew who had reported sick will return to work immediately upon presenting a fitness certificate.
The conciliation proceedings, marked by detailed discussions and persuasions by the conciliation officer and chief labour commissioner, witnessed a significant shift in stance from both sides. Management has pledged to address the grievances raised by the cabin crew.
Since Tuesday night, Air India Express had faced severe disruptions, with hundreds of flights cancelled due to a shortage of cabin crew members participating in the protest. Passengers bore the brunt of the standoff, prompting the airline to issue apologies and offer refunds or alternative flight bookings.
To mitigate the impact of the ongoing situation, Air India Express has announced a curtailment of flights until May 13. Additionally, to address the shortage of cabin crew, the airline will utilize the services of Air India on 20 of its routes.
With the resolution of the impasse, both the airline and the cabin crew look forward to restoring normalcy to operations and ensuring a hassle-free travel experience for passengers.
