Grounded: Wage Protests Disrupt Air India Flights

Operations at Mumbai airport were disrupted as flights of Air India and Air India Express faced delays on Monday. The delays resulted from a protest by employees of AIASL, a government-owned ground handling agency, demanding wage hikes and better working conditions. The protest involved a significant workforce responsible for services across multiple airports in India.

Air India acknowledged that the industrial action affected operations, stating, "Our airport teams are working closely with all stakeholders to minimize inconvenience to guests and restore normal operations at the earliest." However, the airline did not specify the number of flights impacted by the protest.

The CEO of AIASL, Rambabu, announced that employees resumed duties following management's assurance to discuss their demands. Serving 80 airlines and handling 650 flights per day across 84 airports, AIASL promises to address the employees' requests in alignment with company policies, ensuring continuous service at major airports.

(With inputs from agencies.)