In Delhi, a video showed a group of passengers swarming the Air India Express counter
Scores of angry passengers protested at airports on Wednesday after Air India Express cancelled over 86 flights after more than 300 cabin crew went on a "mass sick leave".
Videos of furious passengers gathered at Delhi, Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram airports have gone viral on social media. The videos show flyers in heated arguments with airport staff as they claimed their flights were cancelled last minute.
In Kerala, passengers travelling to the Gulf nations claimed that they were informed about the cancellations while they were waiting to board their flights. Air India Express has offered a full refund or flight rescheduling but some passengers are demanding instant refunds and same-day rescheduling.
Many of them said the delayed flights could result in them losing their jobs as their work visas were about to expire. "What would be the point in me travelling on May 10? If I do not reach there before May 9, my boss will say not to come and I will lose my job," a woman told news agency PTI in Kannur.
Passengers also complained that the airline provided no accommodation, leaving them stranded until their rescheduled flight takes off. Some passengers claimed they were forced to spend the night at the airport.
In Delhi, a video showed a group of passengers swarming the Air India Express counter and shouting at the ground official with their luggage in their hands.
The airline, Air India's low-cost aviation service, said it was forced to cancel international and domestic flights after its cabin crew reported sick en masse and switched off their mobile phones.
Sources say the crew are protesting the new terms of employment and compensation after the merger with Tata Group. The airline management is trying to reach out to the crew.
"A section of our cabin crew has reported sick at the last minute, starting last night, resulting in flight delays and cancellations. While we are engaging with the crew to understand the reasons behind these occurrences, our teams are actively addressing this issue to minimise any inconvenience caused to our guests as a result," an Air India Express spokesperson said.
With agency inputs