As the merger of Air India and Vistara airlines picks up steam, the process of merging their loyalty programs has also begun.
09.05.2024 - 15:33 / skift.com / Air India / Bulbul Dhawan
Air India’s low-cost subsidiary Air India Express canceled 85 flights on Thursday amid mass sick leave by cabin crew. The cancellations affected almost one-quarter of its entire flying program. In a statement, the airline said that it would operate 283 flights on Thursday.
“We have mobilized all resources and Air India will support us by operating on 20 of our routes,” the airline spokesperson said. The company has advised customers to check if their flight is affected before leaving for the airport.
“If their flight is canceled, or delayed beyond three hours, they may opt for a full refund or reschedule to a later date without any fees,” Air India Express said.
According to Indian media reports, the airline planned to cancel 40 flights every day until May 13. However, cabin crew have since withdrawn its protest as Air India Express has agreed to look into the matter, according to news agency PTI.
Starting Tuesday afternoon, reports suggested about 300 cabin crew members of the airline started calling in sick. The personnel also switched off their phones. This led to the cancellation of more than 90 Air India Express flights by Wednesday evening.
The cabin crew’s mass absence comes amid the merger of Air India Express with sister low-cost airline AIX Connect, previously known as AirAsia India.
Tata Sons, which owns the two airlines along with full-service carriers Vistara and Air India, is consolidating its airline business. As part of its strategy, the two budget carriers are being merged to operate as a single low-cost airline.
A section of the cabin crew staff has alleged mismanagement on the part of the airline, saying that the staff has been treated unequally. The employees are unhappy as some staff members have reportedly been offered jobs at lower positions despite clearing interviews for senior posts.
They have also alleged that internal job postings are being filled by external candidates, bypassing qualified internal personnel. Changes in the compensation package of the employees as the airline prepares for its merger are also a factor.
Reacting to the action by cabin crew, Air India Express reportedly issued termination letters to 25 cabin crew. According to news agency PTI, the remaining cabin crew members on sick leave were given an ultimatum to report for duty by 4 pm IST on Thursday to avoid facing termination. The airline has now withdrawn these termination letters.
“While we will continue to engage with our cabin crew colleagues with a commitment to address any concern, we are taking appropriate steps against certain individuals as their actions have caused grave inconvenience,” the airline spokesperson said.
The Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation has sought a report from the
As the merger of Air India and Vistara airlines picks up steam, the process of merging their loyalty programs has also begun.
Delta Air Lines is bringing you closer to the action with a slew of new flights for college football season.
Travel distribution platform TBO Tek made a strong debut on the Indian stock market on Wednesday. Its shares were listed at 50% premium over its IPO issue price on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in the morning and at 55% premium on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
The merging of Air India and Vistara seems ahead of schedule, according to reports in Indian media that cite Air India CEO Campbell Wilson’s comments at a town hall meeting with the employees.
Qantas is withdrawing from mainland China as it battles intense competition from local carriers. From July 28, the Sydney to Shanghai route will be scrapped. The Australian flag carrier cited “low demand” for the decision.
In theory, Pimalai Resort and Spa in Thailand’s Krabi province checks all the boxes for Indian tourists. But the majority of the travelers limit their visit to Bangkok and Phuket, owner Charintip Tiyaphorn told Skift.
Major airlines are suing the Biden administration over its latest rule that requires airlines to disclose all fees associated with buying a ticket.
India’s newest airline, Akasa Air, made its international debut in Doha, Qatar in March — just 19 months after its launch.
India is a key source market for the neighboring countries of Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. In February, India was the biggest source market for Nepal, accounting for more than 25% of foreign tourist arrivals in the country.
The A$100m (€61m) penalty deal comes after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) sued the Sydney-based airline in the Federal Court last year. The commission alleged that Qantas engaged in false, misleading or deceptive conduct by advertising tickets for more than 8,000 flights between May 2021 and July 2022 that had already been cancelled.
Indian airlines will account for half of the country’s international passenger traffic by the 2027-28 financial year, according to a report by credit rating agency CRISIL Ratings. That’s up from 43% this fiscal year, with India’s international passenger traffic at around 70 million.
India is actively promoting itself as the next big wedding destination. At the first “Wed in India” Expo ongoing in Jaipur till Wednesday, tourism ministry official Manisha Saxena said that the rapid infrastructure development across India is aiding destination weddings.