60 AI crew call in sick for Dec last week, not allowed to resume work

The Air India (AI) medical department has allegedly refused to accept the fitness certificates provided by the cabin crew who took sick leave during the last week of December.

The Air India (AI) medical department has allegedly refused to accept the fitness certificates provided by the cabin crew who took sick leave during the last week of December.

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Around 60 crew members reported sick in the week preceding New Year’s Eve.

According to complaint filed by the cabin crew union to the airline chairman and managing director Rohit Nandan on January 3, Air India doctors have asked 60 cabin crew personnel to get an approval from the human resource (HR) department to resume work.

“We fail to understand how the HR department staff can certify fitness status,” said a member of the Air India Cabin Crew Association (AICCA) requesting anonymity. “Nobody is explaining the reason behind the new procedure.”

The crew claims that since January 1, passenger loads on AI international flights have been increasing. But with 60 crew members grounded, the service on board is getting affected.

“We are operating several flights with minimum crew. As a result, service is getting affected,” said another AICCA member. Sources in the airline claimed that medical department’s move was to harass cabin crew since they fell ill during the festive week.

Union members said that they would also report the matter to the Medical Council of India. “We want to pursue action against the doctors for letting administrative staff with no medical knowledge judge staffers’ health”

According to airline sources the move from the medical department was intended to cover up for alleged goof ups in crew scheduling.

The AI spokesperson refused to comment on the matter citing it to be an “internal matter.”