All Protesting Cabin Crew of Air India Express Resumes Duty; Operational Normalcy Soon

Finally, there is a sigh of relief for the management of Air India Express as all the protesting cabin crew staff members of the AIX Employees Union (AIXEU) have resumed their duties with the airline. During the breakdown, both sibling airlines helped AI Express by operating flights on its behalf.

Air India Express: Operational Normalcy Soon

All the protesting cabin crew members of Air India Express have resumed their duties. The suspended flight attendants have also been re-inducted by the airline after reviewing their cases separately. The airline is now looking at complete operational normalization by May 14. Earlier, operational normalcy was expected by May 12, but the timeline has now been rescheduled.

Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU) in an announcement thanking Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh and media houses said that the airline has assured to resolve the remaining issues as soon as possible. It confirmed that as of May 11, 100% of the protesting cabin crew members have resumed their duties. The next conciliation proceeding at the Labour Commissioner’s office is on 28 May 2024.

Ending the note with Bharat Mata ki Jai (Hail India), the union apologized to all the affected passengers for the inconvenience caused to them because of this strike. Thousands of passengers were left stranded across various airports.

Air India Express Cabin Crew Strike: Storyline

On May 8, all of a sudden, more than 300 cabin crew members of Air India Express went on strike, alleging that the management was not listening to their demands. Their allegations included unfair treatment and favoritism during internal selections. Soon after the strike started, the Labour Commissioner intervened and wrote a letter to the airline management saying that the concerns of employees were genuine and they should be resolved after proper discussions.

Amid this strike saga, the airline was forced to cancel more than 70 flights for three consecutive days. In response, Air India Express took strict action against the crew members and suspended 25 of the on-strike employees. It warned the others, that if they failed to return within the stated timeline, they would be suspended as well.

However, the Chief Labour Commissioner held a conciliation proceeding, in which representatives of the cabin crew and airline were both present. Air India Express sent its CHRO, while AIXEU was headed by Bhartiya Majdoor Sangh (BMS). After proper discussions, BMS assured the end of the strike, while airline management ensured the re-induction of suspended employees.

When in Need, Call Your Brother

In a family, when any member is in a problem, the whole family tries to do their best to find a solution. The same happened in the TATA Group airline family when one of the members- Air India Express had a problem. Air India, the mainline TATA airline operated 20 flights on behalf of Air India Express. On the other hand, Vistara despite being a separate airline operated two flights on behalf of AI Express.

TATA Group is the best example of a happy family. Earlier, when Vistara was in trouble after pilots went on mass-sick leave, Air India deputed around 30 of its narrowbody pilots to Vistara to ensure streamlined operations. These pilots are currently undergoing the necessary training for the transition process.

Conclusion

The strike which was started by a section of Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU) on May 8 because of negligence from the airline management has been halted after proper discussions with the management. As of May 11, all crew members have returned to duties. During the operational turmoil, Air India and Vistara both came forward and helped Air India Express by operating flights on its behalf.

What do you think about this strike from Air India Express Cabin Crew members? Discuss in the comment section.