Air India Express Union claims nepotism, unjust sackings in 2-page letter, wants Tata Chairman to step in

The Air India Express Employees Union, or AIXEU, has written a two-page letter to the Chairman of Air India, citing concerns such as "growing unrest, nepotism and dissatisfaction among employees" following the takeover of the airline. 

Air India Express cancelled scores of flights due to a shortage of cabin crew members as a section of them called in sick, protesting alleged mismanagement at the Tata Group-owned airline. 

Discontent has been brewing among a section of the cabin crew at the low-cost carrier for some time now, especially after the start of the process of merger of AIX Connect, formerly AirAsia India, with itself. 

In the letter addressed to Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the Chairman of the Tata Sons-owned Air India Limited (of which Air India Express is a subsidiary), the employees flagged a "stark departure from commitments on job security, salary and maintenance, and respect for seniority and maintenance" that was "contrary to assurances" made by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman that there will be "no termination for two years post acquisition" of the formerly government-run Air India.

AIXEU claimed "employees find themselves silenced when attempting to address grievances, with management actively suppressing any dissenting voices on company platforms".

The letter also claimed concerns over nepotism and favouritism in internal job postings, with external candidates being preferred over qualified internal employees. Declaring such "mismanagement" had "... impacted employee morale (and) also reflects poorly on our customers and company's performance", the union appealed to Mr Chandrasekaran to "personally intervene to redress our grievances... "

The civil aviation ministry has sought a report from Air India Express on cancellation of flights amid a section of cabin crew members reporting sick to protest against alleged mismanagement at the airline. Nearly 90 flights have been cancelled by Air India Express since Tuesday night due to cabin crew woes.

The airline has been advised to ensure facilities to passengers as per DGCA norms.