Air India Express cancels 85 flights due to cabin crew shortage
Mumbai/ New Delhi (PTI): Air India Express on Thursday cancelled 85 flights or around 23 per cent of the total daily capacity as the disruptions due to the cabin crew shortage continue and said Air India will operate services on 20 of its routes to minimise inconvenience to passengers.
In a significant decision, sources said Air India has issued termination letters to around 25 cabin crew members who reported sick to protest against alleged mismanagement at the airline that forced it to cancel more than 100 flights since Tuesday night.
Without directly mentioning about the termination letters, the airline said it is taking appropriate steps against certain individuals as their actions have caused grave inconvenience to thousands of passengers.
"We will be operating 283 flights today. We have mobilised all resources and Air India will support us by operating on 20 of our routes. However, 85 of our flights stand cancelled," the airline said in a revised statement on Thursday.
The cancellations account for around 23 per cent of the Tata Group-owned airline's scheduled daily flights of about 368. In the earlier statement, the airline said it has cancelled 74 flights and will be operating 292 services.
The carrier has asked passengers to check if their flight is affected by the disruption before heading to the airport. If the flight is cancelled, or delayed beyond three hours, they may opt for a full refund or reschedule to a later date without any fees, it added.
Earlier in the day, sources said the airline has issued termination notices to 25 cabin crew members who had reported sick and asked others to join back for duty by 4 pm on Thursday.
Against this backdrop, Air India Express said it is taking appropriate steps against certain individuals.
"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 to thousands of our guests," it added.
On Wednesday, the civil aviation ministry sought a report from Air India Express on the cancellation of flights and also asked the airline to resolve the issues promptly.
Discontent has been brewing among a section of staff at Air India Express since the start of the process to merge AIX Connect, formerly AirAsia India, with itself.
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Yenepoya University conducts autism awareness campaign in Mangaluru
Mangaluru: The Department of Occupational Therapy at Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) conducted a community-based Autism Awareness Campaign at Fiza Mall and Ullal Beach in the city.
The campaign was aimed at promoting awareness, inclusion, and early identification of autism, in line with the global theme, “Autism and Humanity – Every Life Has Value.”
The programme was led by Dr. Dhayanithi K and Dr. Ananya Jana as organising chairpersons, with Dr. Anas, Dr. Amanda S. Phillip, and Dr. Ansu V. David served as organising members.
Students of the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT) programme participated in conducting the campaign.
The event included activities such as flash mobs, street plays, face painting, mehendi, and direct interaction with the public.
These activities focused on highlighting early signs of autism, the need for early intervention, and the importance of inclusion and acceptance of individuals with autism.
The campaign reached around 300 to 500 members of the public. It also provided students with practical exposure to community-based rehabilitation and public health education.
As part of the initiative, QR-based digital resources were introduced to help the public access reliable information on autism.
“Awareness is the first step towards inclusion, and early intervention can significantly improve outcomes,” the organising team said.
The department thanked the university for its support in organising the campaign. It also acknowledged the cooperation of the management of Fiza Mall and the Ullal Beach Police Department in facilitating the event.
