Flight operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were severely disrupted on Monday following unannounced industrial action by employees of a third-party ground handling agency.
In an official statement to NDTV, an airline spokesperson confirmed that the sudden strike impacted the operations of both Air India Express and Air India, leaving passengers stranded inside aircraft and causing widespread delays across the terminal.
According to the airline, airport teams are working closely with all stakeholders to minimise inconvenience caused to passengers amid the disruption. The airline also stated that efforts are underway to restore normal operations at the earliest.
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The disruption has affected flight handling services at Mumbai airport, leading to operational challenges for both carriers. However, the airline has not yet disclosed the exact scale of delays or cancellations caused by the protests.
Times Now reported that passengers were stranded inside the aircraft for over 30 minutes and the sudden chaos was triggered by unannounced industrial action by employees of AI Airport Services Ltd. (AIASL).
The government-owned ground handling company provides critical services for Air India, Air India Express, and several prominent foreign carriers operating out of the terminal.
Times Now also reported the unannounced strike has had a cascading effect across international operations, as AIASL provides critical ground handling support to several major foreign carriers alongside the Air India Group.
Flight schedules for global airlines, including Flydubai, Saudia, Oman Air, and SalamAir, were among those severely impacted by the sudden labor disruption at the terminal.
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Adding to the escalating terminal chaos, an Air India flight from Hyderabad to Mumbai was grounded immediately after landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Monday.
According to media reports, the aircraft was unable to proceed with scheduled operations, reportedly owing to the ongoing strike by the ground and technical staff that has paralysed the airport's handling services.
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