NEW DELHI: Air India Express has sacked at least 30 cabin crew, a day after nearly 300 employees of the airline called in sick and switched off their phones, leading to large-scale flight disruptions. The number of job terminations is likely to increase. A total of 76 flights have been cancelled as the disruptions snowball into a full-blown crisis for the low-cost airline, which is a subsidiary of Air India, now owned by the Tata group.

The employees have been protesting against the new employment terms, sources have said. The crew, the sources said, has alleged a lack of equality in the treatment of staff. They have claimed that some staff members have been offered lower job roles despite clearing interviews for senior positions, the sources said. The crew has also flagged some modifications in their compensation package. These developments are taking place even as the airline is in the middle of a merger with AIX Connect (formerly AirAsia India).

The Air India Express crisis is fresh trouble for the Tata group, barely a month after its full-service carrier Vistara witnessed disruptions due to protests by pilots over a host of issues, including their rostering for flights and changes in their pay packages.

An Air India Express spokesperson yesterday said the management is engaging with the crew to understand the reasons behind the mass leave and added that they are working to minimise inconvenience to the fliers. The airline management plans to hold a townhall with cabin crew members today. 

The termination letter issued to the 30-odd crew members says that the mass leave "clearly points to a pre-meditated and concerted abstention from work without any justifiable reason".

"As a result of the above, a large number of flights had to be cancelled thereby disrupting the entire schedule, which caused tremendous inconvenience to the Company's esteemed passengers. Your act is not only subversive of public interest, but has also caused embarrassment, severe reputational damage, and serious monetary loss to the Company.

Your act of reporting sick for work amounts to a concerted action with a common understanding, to not operate the flight and to disrupt services of the Company. This is not only in violation of the applicable laws, but also violates the Air India Express Limited Employees' Service Rules as are applicable to you," the letter adds.