Several flights of Air India and Air India Express were delayed on Monday as employees of government-owned ground handling agency AIASL carried out a protest at the Mumbai airport for wage hike and other demands. According to reports from The Indian Express, at least 15 departing flights from Mumbai airport were delayed, with disruptions ranging from 90 minutes to two hours. The industrial action by employees of the third-party ground-handling agency disrupted operations at the Mumbai airport before work resumed. The strike was particularly severe, with passengers left stranded inside aircraft for nearly an hour at Mumbai airport, subsequently facing extensive delays in reclaiming their baggage. Recent reports confirm that some flights were grounded completely, with passengers forced to wait inside aircraft for extended periods.
Air India issued a statement acknowledging the impact of the strike on operations. As reported by The Indian Express, the airline stated that an industrial action by employees of a third-party ground handling agency at the Mumbai airport is impacting operations. The airlines in a statement said, "Industrial action by employees of third-party ground handling agency at Mumbai airport is impacting the operations of Air India Express and Air India. Our airport teams are working closely with all stakeholders to minimise inconvenience to guests and restore normal operations at the earliest. We appreciate the understanding and patience of our guests during this time." Air India did not share specific details about how many of its services were affected by the protest by AIASL employees.
According to The Indian Express, AIASL employees resumed work after receiving assurance from management that their demands would be addressed. The strike has been called off following a successful mediation meeting, as reported by multiple sources. Rambabu, CEO at AIASL, confirmed that there was a silent morcha by a certain section of employees, and they requested them to provide their demands in writing for discussion. He stated that the company will go through all requests of the agitating employees and will review them in terms of policies. "They have given us a letter. We have told them that we will go through the same in terms of the policies," Rambabu said.
The disruption caused widespread chaos at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, with passengers left waiting for their luggage at the Level 2 arrival baggage reclaim area. As per reports, flight operations were completely halted following the unannounced strike by employees of AIASL. The sudden industrial action caused widespread delays in aircraft turnaround times, baggage handling, and boarding processes. To stabilize operations, Air India and Air India Express initiated contingency measures, including revised flight schedules and the re-accommodation of affected passengers, while actively coordinating with airport authorities and the ground handling agency.
AIASL, which caters to 80 airlines, including foreign airlines such as Flydubai, Saudia, Oman Air and Salam Air besides domestic carriers, operates at 84 airports in the country. As reported by The Indian Express, the company handles 650 flights per day at these 84 airports, with 35% of international flights and 65% domestic operations. The company employs 20,000 people across its operations, making it a crucial service provider for major airlines. Notably, AIASL is responsible for providing ground handling support for Air India Group carriers, including Air India and Air India Express, as well as several international airlines operating at Mumbai airport and at other airports across the country.
