The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Wednesday shot off a notice to Air India Express and demanded a detailed report on reasons behind frequent flight cancellations experienced by the airline.

The ministry also emphasized the situation’s urgency and called for a prompt resolution to minimize passenger inconvenience.

Furthermore, they reminded Air India Express of their obligation to adhere to passenger care regulations established by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Air India Express has been facing major disruptions. Over 80 international and domestic flights were grounded due to a mass “sick leave” by senior cabin crew.

The situation began to unfold on Monday evening as many crew members called in sick. With insufficient staff to operate flights, the airline had to cancel “scores of flights” at airports like Kochi, Calicut, and Bengaluru.

Passengers, mostly travelling to the Gulf nations, claimed that they were informed about the flight cancellations after they completed their security check and were waiting to board the flight.

A spokesperson of the airline, meanwhile, said it was “engaging” with the protesting crew members, and passengers can seek refunds for the affected flights.“Our teams are actively addressing this issue to minimise any inconvenience to our guests,” he noted.

The incident occurred after the Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU) addressed a letter to Air India chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran, expressing their disappointment with the Tata Group acquisition and highlighting anxieties surrounding it. The letter, written on April 26, detailed concerns like terminations despite assurances of “job security”.

An airline official, who requested anonymity, said tensions had been “brimming over for a week”.

“The situation, however, worsened last night. The cabin crew are protesting the alleged mismanagement of the airline during the merger process which is feared to cost jobs of a significant number of staff,” the official told a national daily.

According to Air India Express Employees Union (AIXEU), a registered body that consists of senior cabin crew members, the “mismanagement” by the Tatas has affected the morale of the employees.

The carrier operates more than 2,500 flights weekly across 31 domestic and 14 international airports, with a fleet of over 70 aircraft comprising Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s.