For the second consecutive day on Thursday, Air India Express (AIE) faced cancellations and delays in its flights, causing inconvenience to numerous passengers. The disruptions stemmed from ongoing challenges with the airline’s crew rostering system.
Continued Disruptions
Wednesday witnessed the commencement of flight cancellations and delays, with the Mangaluru-Bengaluru route being among the affected services. Flights to destinations such as Dammam, Doha, and Dubai experienced delays of up to four hours. Furthermore, the Mangaluru-Jeddah flight encountered a seven-hour delay, while the Tiruchirappalli-bound flight was delayed by six hours.
Persistent Challenges
The following day saw a continuation of the disruptions, with several international flights experiencing delays in both arrivals and departures. Notably, the Jeddah-Mangaluru flight and the Dammam-Mangaluru flight faced significant delays, well beyond their scheduled arrival times. Additionally, the Dubai-Mangaluru flight was cancelled, exacerbating the situation.
Operational Adjustments
In response to the ongoing issues, AIE rescheduled certain flights, including the Mangaluru-Bahrain and Muscat-Mangaluru routes, to mitigate the impact on passengers. However, the root cause of the disruptions was attributed to the implementation of a new rostering system by AIE, now under the Tata Group’s ownership.
Passenger Concerns
The recurring delays and cancellations have raised concerns among passengers, particularly expatriates returning from Gulf countries. Uncertainty looms over the reliability of upcoming flights, prompting worries among travelers like Sharath D’Souza, who expressed apprehension regarding their scheduled travel plans.
As AIE works to address the rostering system challenges, passengers remain hopeful for swift resolutions to restore normalcy in flight operations.
