In a recent development, Air India Express has declared the cancellation of 85 flights, leaving several passengers in a lurch. The airline is making concerted efforts to mitigate the inconvenience caused to the passengers.

What Happened: The cancellation announcement was made on Thursday. Air India has stepped in to support by operating on 20 of the affected routes. The airline is also offering full refunds or rescheduling options without any fees to passengers whose flights have been cancelled or delayed beyond 3 hours. The affected passengers can claim the refunds on WhatsApp through the number +91 6360012345.

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This move comes in the wake of the airline’s decision to dismiss around 30 employees who had gone on a mass “sick leave”. The airline has issued a stern warning to the remaining crew members to return to work by 4 pm on Thursday or face termination.

The Civil Aviation Ministry has intervened in the matter, asking Air India Express for a report on the flight cancellations and urging the airline to resolve the issue swiftly. The cancellations have left several domestic and international travellers stranded, particularly those travelling to West Asia.

Why It Matters: The cancellation of flights by Air India Express is not an isolated incident. The airline had been grappling with cabin crew issues that were hampering its operations. The CEO of Air India Express, Aloke Singh, had stated that the airline would be reducing flights over the next few days due to a significant number of cabin crew reporting sick just before their scheduled duties. This disruption had already led to the cancellation of over 90 flights, affecting operations across the network. The current situation seems to be a continuation of the same issue.

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